Avoid muscle pain in cold weather

Here in Ely the winter is in full swing and we are suffering sub-zero temperatures. Guaranteed to exacerbate muscle pain as I was reminded this week. I always have an increase in patients suffering neck, shoulder and low back and hip pain during the colder months but I didn’t imagine I would be suffering myself .

I have been fighting off the ill effects of a virus and have skipped the gym for the last couple of weeks but, feeling better I attended my early morning dance class earlier this week. It was a cold morning and the studio was less than cosy, I had spent a sedentary weekend searching out xmas gifts online.  My hips were feeling tight and my hamstrings particularly inflexible, a major cause of lower back pain, but I pushed through and stretched out tight, cold muscles. Two days later I have resultantly sore legs, complaining at every movement for being neglected and then thrown coldly back into exercise. In summer this wouldn’t have happened to the same extent, keeping muscles warm is not such an issue. We also spend less time sitting and more outside being active.

The moral of my tale ? Muscles that are kept warm and well exercised are less troublesome in the winter months. Exercise regularly to keep your muscles mobile, wrap up warm to keep heat in the muscles so that they work effectively and only stretch out well warmed up muscles. Don’t forget to get a massage after training, it will keep muscles supple, ease out any muscle pain and make sure muscles are ready for the next session.