Brace yourself: Summers are coming

Did you know that hot and humid weather can affect your joints and muscles?

It might surprise you to learn just how much the weather can affect our bodies. Our joints contain sensory nerves called baroreceptors, which respond to changes in the weather. There is a link between the barometric pressure outside and the contraction or expansion of muscles, tendons and scar tissues which often result in pain.

Chronic pain can flare up in extremes of weather. Mumbai is known for it’s scorching summers. It’s not necessarily the change in temperature that causes pain to flare up as much as the change in barometric pressure. When the weather changes, your body takes some time to properly adjust to the new weather and this adjustment period can be quite painful.

High humidity levels can also thicken the blood, increasing pressure in the blood vessels. This forces the heart to work harder to pump the blood throughout the body. Humidity also causes excessive sweating leading to a loss of body fluid and dehydration. Dehydration can cause stiffened tissues in the spine increasing the risk of injuries.

But there are various ways to help combat the effects of heat and humidity on our body:

• Drink adequate water, especially if you plan on spending a lot of time outside. Aim to drink 1-2 glasses of water for every hour you are outside.
• Swimming is a great form of therapy for joints.
• Biking is a great low impact form of exercise that is easy on the lower back and knees.
• Work with your physiotherapist to manage and cure the pain with tailor made exercises which work best for you.

Please feel free to dial your nearest PhysioRehab clinic for more information.