It's the time of year when clients can suffer muscle and joint Winter health issues, so I thought an advice blog with some tips from me as an experienced Bristol Osteopath at Alex Prince Osteopathy would be useful.
Ailments and aches can surface in the Winter months causing a high level of pain, discomfort and disablement.
Colder weather has an impact on joints and muscles, often causing them to tighten and stiffen. Our bodies often tense up in the cold.
Damp and wet weather in Bristol is common, and this can aggravate dormant joint and muscular issues, as well as worsening arthritic conditions and rheumatic joints often flare up.
During the Winter months, many patients I see and treat are also less active, sitting down indoors more, and generally less active due to weather conditions.
How can you prevent muscle and joint issues?
There are several ways in which you can prevent (or at least reduce) the impact of musculo-skeletal issues in Winter, including:
Get out and about - gentle exercise such as walking regularly keeps us mobile, and aids joint and muscle health.
Wrap up - stay dry and warm in Winter. Keep the extremities warm when outdoors, and think about simple steps such as wearing a scarf to prevent hunching over in cold weather.
Consider low-impact exercise - good Winter activities indoors such as Yoga, Pilates, the gym, Swimming and Aqua-aerobics are all superb alternatives.
Stretch regularly - this is so good for the muscles and overall circulation.
Move often and drink water - particularly important if working from home.
What causes muscle and joint issues?
Some of the following can contribute to causing or worsening muscular-skeletal issues:
Getting cold and wet.
Sitting still for too long - so take micro breaks often.
Sitting in soft uncomfortable chairs and sofas for too long.
How do you treat muscle and joint issues?
One of the best ways to tackle musculo-skeletal issues is to seek treatment from a Bristol Osteopath. This can help to alleviate and resolve the problems.
Make sure that you don't ignore minor niggles - see a professional as a priority. This could stop it from becoming a significant and chronic problem.
Maintenance Osteopathic Treatments are a great way of keeping on top of muscular-skeletal issues in the Winter months.
If you are suffering with a muscle or joint injury, please book a consultation with me online here. (hyperlink with https://alexprinceosteopathy.cliniko.com/bookings#service)
My Bristol osteopath clinic is fully open so if you’re looking for Covid-safe treatments for muscle and joint issues, please read this news post to find out about the measures in place at my Henleaze osteopathy clinic for all patients.
To find out more about the full range of Covid-secure osteopathic treatments that I provide in Bristol, please visit here for details.