If you have arthritis, you know the pain of stiff, achy joints. Perhaps your knee joints are stiff in the morning, and it’s hard to get going. Maybe your hips or feet are more affected. The most common joints impacted by arthritis are knees, hips, neck, hands, and back, but the condition can affect any of your 350 joints.
Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists at Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine treat many patients with arthritis. Here, we explain why you tend to move better during the summer months.
Traditionally, arthritis is associated with senior adults and considered a wear-and-tear condition as your body ages. However, research shows it’s really a joint disease, affecting every part of a joint — bone, soft tissue, fat, and synovial lining.
Arthritis, when severe, causes excess bone formation that can interfere with your surrounding nerves. It wears away protective cartilage that cushions the bones in your joint. Your joint becomes inflamed, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling. Your quality of life may diminish because you can’t move without pain.
Summer is here, and you’re feeling better. Why is summer a better season than others when you have arthritis? Our staff explains.
There’s a reason so many retirees move to states like Arizona with dry, warm weather. When the weather is warm, your blood vessels enlarge, helping nutrient-rich blood and oxygen flow to your joints and muscles. When your circulation improves, you move more easily.
During the summer months, you pick up activities you may have stopped participating in during the winter. Your joints move better; you’re less stiff.
Muscles in your joints contract when you’re cold. They’re less flexible. When the temperature is warm, your muscles relax, easing stiffness. It doesn’t hurt as much to move.
Because you feel better, you want to engage in your favorite activities. Plus, you can enjoy more outside activities in warm weather. You may have given up walking during the winter, but now you’re enjoying walks in your neighborhood. If you’re a golfer, this time of year is perfect for your sport.
Moderate physical activity is beneficial when you have arthritis. Being sedentary diminishes your health. Your body was made to move. You should get 20-30 minutes of exercise every day, or a minimum of 150 minutes a week.
Can the sun really make you feel better? The answer is yes. Sunlight increases the production of a hormone and neurotransmitter called serotonin, which regulates your mood.
When it’s sunny outside, you’re more apt to engage in outdoor activities and get beneficial exercise, which helps improve your sleep. Better mood and improved sleep can take your mind off your arthritis so you perceive less pain.
Arthritis is a progressive disease; it can worsen over the years. Don’t wait to get treatment. With medication, lifestyle adjustments, physical therapy, and regenerative medicine treatments, you can live a full life.
To schedule a consultation, call Delta Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in West Memphis, Arkansas, or Collierville, Tennessee, today. You can also book an appointment online.
