Winters can be tough for older people, especially those who have osteoarthritis (age-related joint inflammation caused by cell degeneration). Take the case of Sabitha Bhat, who was diagnosed with age-related arthritis at 46 while she lived in Mumbai. “In 2015, my husband and I shifted to Bengaluru to stay with my son,” says Bhat, who is now 62. “The winters in Bengaluru aggravated my arthritis pain. I could not move or bend my knee, especially during the cold nights.”
Why arthritis worsens in winter?
Individuals above 50 often complain of an increased knee pain, especially during winter, says Dr Pramod Bhor, head, orthopedic surgery, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, Mumbai.
READ MORE :
The rise and fall of hormones in the elderly
How to keep the elderly brain healthy
Hearing loss among elderly: better communication can help
Dr Umapathy M, head, Athulya Senior Care, Chennai, points out that women suffer more knee pain than men. “The reasons could be menopause and other hormonal fluctuations,” she says.
In Bhat’s case, the body’s calcium levels declined drastically, especially after her uterus removal at age 40. “That was the reason for my early onset of osteoarthritis,” she says.
In osteoarthritis, there is marked scarring of the tissues in the knee joint, which restricts movement and often causes muscle spasms. For Bhat and many other older people, knee pain increases in winter due to “hypersensitivity of pain receptors in these joints”, says Dr Bhor.
Dr Bhor adds that the hypersensitivity of pain receptors in the winter can be due to:
- Decreased blood flow in the joints due to higher atmospheric pressure
- Inability of the inflamed tissues to stretch due to muscle spasm
- Thickening or drying up of the synovial fluid, which causes decreased elasticity of the joints.
Keeping knee pain in check
Experts say an increase in knee pain can be prevented by:
1) Having an active lifestyle. Preventing the root cause (muscle spasms), increasing the blood flow and lubricating joints can prevent pain among elderly people with osteoarthritis in winter, says Dr Umapathy. He recommends an active lifestyle and regular exercises such as walking.
“For those with limited mobility or gait imbalances, muscle-strengthening exercises or indoor walking with the support of any bars or walls can reduce knee pain,” he says.
Dr Bhor warns that while during outdoor exercises in extreme winter “individuals above 50 must wear thermal clothes and cover their fingers with gloves (if need be). Additionally, staying hydrated is a must.”
For Bhat, negotiating with arthritis in the Bengaluru winters was a challenge. “But I learnt to manage it eventually,” she says. “I exercise regularly. I practise heel raises and straight leg raises, and walk indoors occasionally. I also cover my knees, hands and feet with thermal wear, especially during early morning and night. This reduces my knee pain.”
2) Good nutrition and supplements. “Eating food rich in calcium and vitamin D3 (such as almonds, milk, eggs) prevents muscle spasms,” says Dr Umapathy. “Additionally, food rich in omega-3 fatty acids (shark fish oil, mackerel, salmon, cod liver oil, oysters, sardines) boosts muscle lubrication enormously.” Doctors also prescribe medicines to help regain muscle strength based on a person’s condition.
3) Having a therapy to improve blood flow. To improve blood flow, Dr Umapathy also encourages older people to choose therapies such as:
- Hot packs (applying heat to the knee to increase blood circulation)
- Wax bath therapy (applying melted paraffin wax on the injured knee to increase blood flow and reduce contraction). It should be done in a hospital set-up only.
Takeaways
To keep arthritis pain in the winters in check, older people should:
- Follow an active lifestyle
- Expose themselves to sunlight in the early-morning hours
- Make sure they get enough vitamin D, calcium and omega 3 fatty acids
- Regularly practise muscle-strengthening exercises
- Use thermals in winter.
