Does the weather effect your joints?
The cold, wet weather has an effect on our mood and apparently our joints too. Four in ten adults want to leave Britain for sunnier climes because they claim the country’s dismal weather is bad for their health.
Millions of people say damp, cold weather is having a bad effect on their joints, leading to daily aches and pains.
A poll of 1,000 people aged 35 to 75 - all with joint health problems - were questioned about their experiences with weather-related joint issues.
An overwhelming 72 per cent of respondents said they suffered more from joint problems such as discomfort and stiffness because of the weather.
More than half said joint problems increased during cold periods, followed by damp weather, wet weather and cold, frosty weather, according to joint health brand Regenovex.
The most common symptoms triggered by poor weather were discomfort, stiffness, difficulty in getting up when seated, climbing stairs and moving generally.
Other problems included getting out of bed, bending down and exercising.
Dr Emma Derbyshire, an independent nutritionist, said: "Joint discomfort and joint health issues are a huge problem in the UK with millions of us struggling in silence when they needn’t.”
The survey found that knees are the parts of the body worst affected by poor weather, followed by the back, fingers, hips, hands and neck.
One in three people said they put up with joint pain and did not take any further action, one in seven would take over the counter pain killers and 12 per cent would take a hot bath.
Just five per cent would consult their GP or pharmacist. While four in ten of those polled has considered moving to a warmer country because of their joint problems, one in nine are actively contemplating relocation.
Approximately ten million Britons suffer from osteoarthritis and many more have undiagnosed joint stiffness, which increases with age and often affects women more than men. People with joint health problems often complain that cold and damp weather affects their health.
Tagged in Health Healthy Body