23/11/2024
Worth a read girls! 🥶
❄️🥶❗️Does the cold weather affect my muscles, tendons and joints?❄️🥶❗️
Simple answer… YES!
The cold weather causes our muscles to lose more heat and contract which causes tightness. Our tendons, muscles and joints are forced to work harder to compete tasks, with muscle tissue becoming damaged and more sore. Consequently our muscles lose their full range of motion capability due to stiffness, feeling as though it’s harder to move. Hence there’s increased risk of muscle and tendon strain.
Cold, lower temperature muscles have dampened neuromuscular function (don’t respond as quick) and can increase the production of lactate, causing us to fatigue sooner.
Oxygen is more tightly bound to the haemoglobin and does not release easily as a result of vasoconstriction in cold weather conditions. This slower rate of release leads to a lower amount of oxygen being available to the muscles making them contract more… hence why we feel stiff.
Breathing in cold weather can cause asthma like symptoms. A 2019 study in BMC Pulmonary Medicine found that up to 10% of the general population and 90% of asthmatic athletes deal with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in cold weather.
Synovial fluid (which is present at the joint acting as it’s lubricant) thickens in the cold weather resulting in less lubrication and this more pain at the joint. Sadly arthritic joints react more in the cold weather.
Keep warm, wrap up and wear appropriate clothing for the conditions, if you are shivering you burn more energy and will fatigue sooner.
Hagley Sports Massage treating you, your body and its intricate network of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. Call 07788 584553 to discuss your symptoms and conditions and book an appointment today.
