Back Hurting? Let’s Get Moving!
The relationship between colder weather and increased back pain is complex and multifaceted. Research suggests that changes in barometric pressure, combined with lower temperatures, can affect joint fluid viscosity and muscle flexibility. This scientific understanding helps explain why many people experience increased discomfort during the fall and winter months, especially if they remain sedentary for the cooler months or went too hard on a winter activity without proper preparation.
Preventing back pain during the fall and winter months requires a multifaceted approach that combines proper body mechanics, thoughtful preparation, and consistent attention to spinal health. Just as you wouldn’t venture into a snowstorm without proper winter gear, your body needs the right preparation and protection to handle seasonal activities safely. If you keep your body properly maintained, like you would your automobile, you’ll be better off in most conditions.
Stretching is often something people just associate with athletes and dancers and very few people stretch on their own. However, stretching is one of the best winter chiropractic tips we can give you because of how everyone can benefit from it. You don’t need to be able to touch your toes or do a split, but simple stretches like child’s pose and downward dog and calf stretches and the like will boost your body’s mobility and flexibility. When your muscles and joints are stiff, this increases the likelihood of injury, especially when it’s icy or when the cold makes you even stiffer. Regular stretching will loosen your muscles and joints, which is especially important in cold winter weather. Stretching lets your body know there’s more to come, and we need it ready!
A common mistake some people make is trying to jump right into activities like shoveling snow or a snowy winter hike before taking the necessary precautions to warm their bodies up. This is a crucial winter chiropractic tip, regardless of whether you’re a skiing enthusiast or if you just need to shovel your driveway or even scrape a frosty layer off of your windshield. Warming your body up will prepare it for what you need it to do, and some of these activities involve little muscles that you’re not always using. Prevent injury and unnecessary soreness by letting your body know you’re going to need it for a task that it might not be super familiar with.
One of the most common reasons we see new patients during the winter months is due to back pain and other such issues that result from shoveling snow, slipping and falling, and more. While warming up before doing any outdoor activity won’t guarantee that you won’t get hurt, it will make it less likely, which is why this is one of the most frequent winter chiropractic tips chiropractors will give. We don’t want to see you hurting.
We are believers in the term “there is no bad weather, just bad clothing” and here’s what we mean by that. A common reason why people slip and fall is because they’re walking in the snow or on ice without the proper footwear. You want to ensure that you have shoes with grippy soles and good traction in order to keep you more stable. It’s not just improper footwear that can cause problems, which is why one of our winter chiropractic tips is to have the right outerwear, which yes, includes your footwear, but also extends to warm sweaters and coats and bottoms and the like. The colder you are, the stiffer you are, which puts you at higher risk of injury.
Ultimately, winter is not ever going to go away. We can expect it every single year, whether we like it or not. Preparing for it, to include preparing and maintaining your body for it makes it a little more enjoyable. The staff and crew and Momentum Chiropractic is here for you!