In winters, when muscles stiffen and physical exercise is limited, instances of stiff backs, and neck or joint pain report a rise. As temperatures drop and winds turn chilly, a number of factors lead to increasing pain and discomfort in the body - especially the back, knee and other joints. Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon organised a special day-long OPD dedicated to people experiencing pain or discomfort in the back and spine. The spine specialists offered free consultation to patients and advised them on protecting their backs, and ways to keep their muscles and nerves active and flexible in winters. They have also declared every Wednesday of the week as a Free Consultation day. A change in weather acts on the body in multiple ways. In lower temperatures the nerve endings in our body become extra sensitive even to minor pain stimuli. That is why in winters even a small scratch or a minor hit gives so much more pain. Another reason is that the cold stiffens the muscles and increases the chances of pain or strain. And at a time when our muscles need more physical exercise to warm them up, we tend to become indoor animals, confined in blankets and beds. This further gives us pain in the back and joints in winters. Less exercise leaves our body vulnerable to low back pain.
“Back pain is becoming very common and affects people of all ages and genders. Some backaches may be due to a single injury or minor injuries occurring over a long period of time; others may be due to muscular tension or sprain. The former should never be ignored, as spine injuries can lead to severe consequences if left unhealed. Muscular stiffness or sprain can be taken care of by mild medication and a physical routine,” said Dr Arun Bhanot, Chief of Spine Services, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon
All people who have played sports in some point in their lives know the importance of a warm up before launching into aggressive activity. After long hours of inactivity, muscles tend to stiffen and immediately launching rigorous activity may cause a tear or sprain. “In winters, there is a greater need to warm up. However, people become all the more sedentary and even forego their daily walking and jogging routines. Then they suddenly launch into a rigorous action like pulling a piece of furniture, shifting mattresses, indulging in a game or picking up a child from the ground. All these are responsible for sprains and tears in muscles,” added Dr Arun Bhanot.
Measures to prevent Back Pain in winter:
Warm up your muscles: Muscles may get injured when they are suddenly launched into a rigorous activity, without prior notice. Mild exercise and stretching serves as a warm up to the muscles. We should keep moving and exercising in winter, rather than seeking cover under blankets all the time. Keep your daily workout routine intact. Warm up by stretching and lifting light weights every morning. In fact, a small two-minute stretching program can be undertaken right in bed before you even put his feet on the ground.
Cover yourself well: Exposure to chilly winds can also exacerbate pain sometimes. Always cover yourself in layers of clothing, to keep the body heat from escaping.
Work out indoors: To prevent exposure to the cold, shift your workout routines indoors. If the ground where you walk or run everyday has got too cold, shift to a gym, or find an indoor space. If your office has a long gallery, you can use it as a walking space - for 30 minutes every day.
Adopt back strengthening exercises: Lower back muscles are quite vulnerable in winters. It would help if you adopt exercises that strengthen the lower back. Make sure you learn them under expert supervision.
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