Does the Weather Really Affect Your Joints?
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“My knees say there is rain coming,” and “Ever since my surgery, I can tell when the weather is changing.” Have you ever heard someone say these things? Is it possible that this really is true? Many people claim that the weather can affect their pain. In this blog, we will discuss how weather changes can potentially affect the body and, therefore, your pain levels.
Weather and Your Joints
Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by inflammation, articular cartilage degeneration, and bone thickening, leading to joint pain, stiffness, and disability. Pain is usually the main symptom of OA, which leads people to seek medical attention. There are often frequent claims that the weather, such as temperature changes, barometric pressure, and precipitation, influence OA pain. A systematic review of 14 studies shares the following results1. There is strong evidence that OA pain is associated with many weather conditions, including temperature, pressure, and humidity. However, the study could not identify the relative degree or direction between various aspects of weather and OA pain. Temperature and barometric pressure appear to have a moderate correlation with OA pain levels1. Therefore, it’s not all in your head if your joint pain changes with the weather!
What is Barometric Pressure?
Barometric pressure is air pressure that fluctuates with weather changes. Rising barometric pressure is generally associated with better weather and falling barometric pressure is associated with worsening weather. These changes in air pressure can affect your muscles and joints, causing the tissues to expand or contract, affecting the body and your pain levels. Some people may be more sensitive to these changes.
Weather and Joint Pain After Surgery
Some people describe being able to feel weather changes more after having surgery. After a total joint replacement surgery, the previous arthritis is no longer in the joint to be affected by the weather. Immediately following surgery, pain can occur due to incisional and soft tissue trauma. However, abarometric pressure, humidity, and temperature can impact pain levels as the time after surgery increases2.
There are some claims that weather changes can affect swelling and how nerves communicate with the brain, which can influence pain levels. A study specific to rheumatoid arthritis showed that when air pressure decreased, the connective tissue surrounding arthritic joints expanded or swelled leading to more tenderness and pain in the area3. Therefore, if the tissues surrounding joints are swollen, they could press on the nerves of the area, causing the nerves to tell the brain there is more pain in that spot.
Weather changes can affect your pain levels, but the exact degree or amount is undetermined due to a lack of clear studies. However, it is important to note that the weather does not control your pain, and there are often other ways you can manage your pain rather than be at the mercy of the forecast. To learn more about pain management options or to connect with an expert who can assess your current condition, contact your nearest Athletico location. Free assessments are available in-person and virtually through our telehealth platform.
*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.
The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.
References:
1. Wang L, Xu Q, Chen Y, Zhu Z, Cao Y. Associations between weather conditions and osteoarthritis pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Med. 2023 Dec;55(1):2196439. doi: 10.1080/07853890.2023.2196439. PMID: 37078741; PMCID: PMC10120534.
2. Shulman BS, Marcano AI, Davidovitch RI, Karia R, Egol KA. Nature’s wrath-The effect of weather on pain following orthopaedic trauma. Injury. 2016 Aug;47(8):1841-6. Doi:10.1016/j.injury.2016.05.043. Epub 2016 Jun 1. PMID: 27318614.
3. Terao C, Hashimoto M, Furu M, Nakabo S, Ohmura K, Nakashima R, Imura Y, Yukawa N, Yoshifuji H, Matsuda F, Ito H, Fujii T, Mimori T. Inverse association between air pressure and rheumatoid arthritis synovitis. PLoS One. 2014 Jan 15;9(1):e85376. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085376. PMID: 24454853; PMCID: PMC3893195.
