If you’re a joint pain sufferer, you may have noticed that the onset of wintery, cold, and wet weather can make joints ache more than usual, adding an extra burden on top of the miserable conditions.
According to consultant rheumatologist Dr Rod Hughes: ‘People who have arthritis may experience increased pain and stiffness during colder months. This may be because low barometric pressure physically impacts the joints or encourages inflammation, making joint movement more painful.’
‘In addition, during cold weather, the body focuses on circulating blood around the core and major organs and away from muscles and joints. As a result, the joints may seem less flexible.’
Fortunately, lifestyle interventions and protective actions taken now can offer hope for joint pain sufferers looking for a solution to their winter joint pain. For example, there is a large body of evidence supporting the use of GOPO–a natural anti-inflammatory compound derived from rose-hip, to reduce joint pain.
Dr Rod Hughes mentioned: ‘Over-the-counter medications, nutritional supplements and other complementary medicines are increasingly popular among people with arthritis and a wide range of options are available.’
‘Ensure you choose one with published clinical evidence, and make sure you are aware of any risks if taking long term. Research suggests a promising natural option with significant anti-inflammatory and clinical benefits – potentially even helping cartilage and joint tissues rebuild and regenerate–is GOPO, a galactolipid derived from rose-hip.’
If you’re known to suffer from joint pain and stiffness during cooler weather or have noticed niggling aches this year, keep ahead of the chill by following Dr Rod Hughes’ advice:
Tips to winter-proof your joints:
- It’s extremely important to keep active if you can. Take regular, gentle exercise like walking, swimming and yoga to keep your joints, the supporting muscles and ligaments strong and supple.
- This can help improve the range of movement of your joint, reduce stiffness and help with energy levels. Exercise and eating a healthy balanced diet will also help maintain your ideal body weight, as being overweight places additional strain on the joints.
- Don’t forget to look after your mental health. Living with joint pain has been associated with an increased prevalence of depression. If you notice you are feeling low or are worried about your mood, you can seek support from your GP or healthcare professional. Charities such as Arthritis Research UK can also offer help and advice.
- They can help protect our joints and effectively treat joint pains using a clinically proven joint and soft tissue supplement such as rose-hip extract prepared as the galactolipid GOPO. Studies have shown this to reduce cartilage damage while relieving joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation and should undoubtedly be considered at the early onset of even mild joint pain.
Numerous clinical studies suggest that GOPO reduces joint pain, swelling and stiffness, improves joint mobility and reduces the need for painkillers in people with arthritis.
Research into active, healthy adults also found that 12 weeks of GOPO supplementation led to reductions in joint pain and improved mobility, potentially helping to reduce cartilage degeneration.
