How to Manage Your Arthritis this Winter

For many of the 54.4 million U.S. adults living with arthritis, winter can be no fun.

Thanks to plunging temperatures, the synovial fluid that normally helps joints move freely, tends to thicken. The result is joints that feel stiff and sensitive. Again, no fun.

Fortunately, there are things you can do relieve some of the pain and stiffness of arthritis in winter. Here’s where to start:

Keep warm: Heat works to ‘thin’ the fluid in your joints so that movement comes easier and loosens the surrounding muscles and tissues, which also helps with movement. If you’re heading outside, be sure to bundle up all over. When you warm your core, you also warm your blood. That warm, circulating blood helps keep arthritic joints pain-free. If you’re chilled inside, use blankets or heating pads to warm affected joints and your core.

Stay active: Even though your joints maybe telling you to sit still, the truth is this: the single best thing you can do to prevent arthritis pain at any time of year is keep moving. Exercise, indoors or out, will work to warm your joints and lessen discomfort. Again, if you’re headed outside, dress accordingly.

Stretch often: While it’s tempting to stay tucked under a blanket all day, be sure to stretch and move all the parts of your body throughout the day to keep from getting stiff. If you’re a television-watcher, let commercial breaks serve as your cue to stand up and stretch. From wrist and ankle rolls to toe touches and side bends, regularly gentle stretching will keep your joints loose and comfortable.

Enjoy an ‘arthritis diet’:  Research shows that a Mediterranean-style diet can help fight inflammation and improve joint pain and other symptoms. If you’re diet doesn’t already include these foods, consider adding them: Fish, Nuts & seeds, Olive oil, Beans, Whole grains, Turmeric and Fruits & vegetable, especially blueberries, cherries, spinach, kale, and broccoli. 

Maintain a healthy weight: Whether it’s 10 pounds or 50, carrying extra weight increases the burden and pressure on your joints. Maintaining a healthy weight works to decrease pain and improve joint function. While weight loss is a tough endeavor, it provides many positive effects on your overall health—including relief from the pain of arthritis, a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes and more.

Medicate as needed: Over-the-counter pain medications, like acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as Advil or Motrin), can provide short-term relief from symptoms of arthritis. However, it’s important to discuss your options with your doctor, especially if you’re taking other drugs for arthritis or other conditions.

If you’re still struggling with pain after implementing these changes, contact your doctor to discuss other treatment strategies.

Michaela M. Schneiderbauer, MD, MBA, is an orthopedic surgeon with SVMC Orthopedics and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Physicians.