FEELING GREAT: Why back pain gets worse in winter

I’ve started to hear conversations from patients that they’re experiencing a few aches and pains in their lower back.
By Paul Gough
Published 2nd Dec 2020, 00:00 BST
Winter can bring unexpected pain.Winter can bring unexpected pain.
Winter can bring unexpected pain.

The type of aches that suddenly get a bit more annoying, nagging and painful on a daily basis… a bit like what’s been happening to one of our patients “Wendy”…

Wendy has suffered with an aching lower back for a few months now and last winter her back got so bad, it stopped her from taking her three dogs out for a long walk on Christmas day – something she does each year. And because Wendy didn’t want her lower back pain to get in the way of Christmas this year, she thought she’d book an appointment with her

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Doctor. The GP advised her that her lower back was very tight and sent her straight to see a Physio who just gave her exercises.

Which meant she never understood what was REALLY going on and why her back pain was still getting in the way. As well as doing exercises that weren’t even making a difference, Wendy also went out and bought a new mattress hoping that would fix the problem, as well as dosing up on painkillers for days…

But the problem is all they do is mask the pain, NOT take it away! If you’re like Wendy and struggling to put your finger on why your lower back pain gets worse this time of year, I can assure you, you’re not alone. This is something that many men and women aged 50+ come to see us with at the clinic.

So what’s one of the reasons why your back pain gets worse around this time of year?

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The long winter months and sustained periods of inactivity can be the root cause of what I call sudden ‘lifelong back pain’. If your muscles and joints get a long rest in the winter, there’s a chance they will grow weak and stiff by the time spring comes around when you feel like being more active.

So, with that in mind here’s a big tip to help you avoid making this mistake: seize any and every opportunity you have during the winter to get active and keep your body mobile and vital muscle strong. Wrap up warm and go for a 20 minute walk. Set a reminder to move and do a stretch every hour, even from your office chair.

P.S. If back pain is troubling you right now, or if you’ve noticed any aches and pains starting to creep up on you, click here to download our FREE tips report with quick and simple tips to help ease low-back pain: http://www.paulgoughphysio.com/back-pain