Is There A Hidden Connection Between Bad Weather and Achy Joints?
When temperatures drop or rain clouds begin to gather in the sky, many people say they feel these weather changes in their bones. Some may swear that old injuries are starting to reappear, while others, with existing musculoskeletal problems, may suddenly complain of joint pain.
What is the explanation for this unusual sensation shared by so many people? Scientists have been searching for an answer to this question for years, but to date the connection between weather conditions and pain has not yet been fully elucidated. However, previous research has highlighted fluctuations in air pressure, humidity and wind speed as potential factors that could lead to increased pain levels in some people.
Learn more: Old Wives’ Tales for Predicting the Weather: What’s Based on Science and What’s Just Folklore?
Less pressure, more pain
If you suffer from joint pain in cold or wet weather, the root cause may be a change in barometric pressure, which measures the weight of the atmosphere exerting pressure on the Earth’s surface.
A decrease in barometric pressure occurs when a cold front passes through an area, causing dense, cold (sinking) air to be pushed under warm, moist (rising) air and forcing it upward. The displaced warm air then cools and condenses to form clouds, causing storms and a sudden drop in temperature.
A decrease in barometric pressure during a cold front means less pressure is placed on our bodies; This may seem like a good thing, but it is often associated with worsened pain in people with musculoskeletal problems, because the lack of compression on the joints can cause muscles, tendons, and other tissues to expand. Pressure changes and cold can also alter the consistency of synovial fluid, which acts as a sort of liquid cushion for joints by reducing friction between them.
Stress and stiffness in cold weather
People diagnosed with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and fibromyalgia are likely to experience the most pain due to drops in barometric pressure.
This is what a 2019 study shows in PLOS One which collected self-reported pain levels from 48 patients with fibromyalgia, a chronic illness that causes pain in tissues throughout the body. Study participants reported their pain and emotional state via cellphone messages, which were linked to weather data corresponding to the time of the reports.
The study found that lower barometric pressure was associated with increased pain levels in the majority of participants. However, it was also associated with increased stress levels. Researchers suggest this could mean changes in barometric pressure somehow affect stress levels in some people, potentially increasing pain levels.
Cold weather can cause stiffness and discomfort in others who also suffer from injuries, including fractures, sprains, torn ligaments or muscle strains. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as tissue swelling that puts pressure on nerves, constriction of blood vessels, or muscle tightening.
Cold temperatures aren’t the only climate change that causes pain. Studies have shown that higher humidity (also associated with lower barometric pressure) exacerbates a range of health problems, from arthritis to migraines.
An uncertain forecast
Although this problem seems widespread, many scientists note that the link between weather and pain is unclear and there are still many unknowns. Research on this topic has yielded mixed results in the past, without reaching a real consensus.
Conflicting studies have even pushed back against the idea that weather directly induces pain. A review of 2024 in Seminars on arthritis and rheumatism reviewed existing international studies on weather conditions and musculoskeletal pain, finding no significant link between weather conditions and an increased risk of knee, hip, or lower back pain symptoms.
Saying you can predict when a storm will hit based on joint pain may be a slight exaggeration, but there’s no denying that many people still identify pain with changes in weather. But for now, the problem can only be blamed on theories.
This article does not offer medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
Learn more: Climate and weather: what is the difference?
Article sources
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