Aching joints are a common occurrence when you have an injury, but you may have noticed they get stiff in the cold weather for no apparent reason. Although regular chiropractic care can help combat discomfort, you should understand why joints stiffen in the first place. To determine if your inflexibility would benefit from chiropractic care, learn more about the causes of and treatments for this condition.

What Causes Joints to Stiffen in Cold Weather?

Medical professionals believe that many factors cause joint stiffness when the temperatures begin to drop. In cold weather, your body conserves heat by sending blood from extremities to central organs, causing the vessels in your joints and limbs to constrict and leaving you with cold or achy sensations. Joint discomfort is also the result of an inflammatory response that occurs in the joints when the barometric pressure drops. While any part of the body can be impacted by cold weather, weight-bearing joints, including the knees, hips, and ankles, exhibit a particular sensitivity to freezing temperatures.

Can You Alleviate Cold Weather Joint Pain?

Luckily, several different steps will combat joint pain caused by plummeting temperatures. When heading outside, bundle up appropriately and dress in layers to keep body heat in. Make sure to stretch gently and warm up before any physical activity to keep muscles and ligaments loose. If your joints are unusually achy and inflexible in the cold, chiropractic care will alleviate the pain. A chiropractor can manipulate your soft tissue to ease tenderness and inflammation and will also recommend special exercises to address specific joints.

If you need chiropractic care to alleviate joint stiffness and pain, visit the professionals at Gateway Chiropractic Center in Crossville, TN. For more than 30 years, this chiropractic center has provided relief from pain, whether in the joints, neck, or back, through adjustments and manipulation. For location and office hours, visit them online, or call (931) 484-3135 to schedule an appointment.