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We all know someone who complains their joints start to hurt when it gets cold, so let’s figure out exactly what that means. Fact or Myth: Cold weather causes your joints to hurt. Trick question! Cold weather itself actually does not make your joints hurt but it is the drop in barometric pressure that causes your joint pain to worsen. For those who may not know, barometric pressure is just another term for atmospheric pressure or “weight of the air.” So it is not just the imagination causing people to think their joints are aching due to cold weather. So how do we help this problem? 1. Ease the shock of cold weather on your body – dress in layers 2. Maintain a healthy weight to reduce stress on your joints 3. Apply heat pads to the painful areas to relax the muscles 4. Stretch before going outside to loosen stiff joints so they don’t become even more stiff 5. HYDRATE! – staying hydrated helps keep inflammation away Another important tip to focus on is not losing what you have gained in the summer and fall, try to keep working out and staying active even if it’s difficult. You will get even stiffer and it will be harder to get back to the place you were in when the weather was warmer and it will also reduce the frequency with your flare ups.
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 As the weather warms up, everyone is ready to get outside and be active! This is great, BUT this often is a time when we see a spike in injuries, as people have been cooped up all winter and hop into full-swing activity too quickly.
Be smart and don’t start your spring out with an injury. Whether its sports, exercise, or yardwork, people tend to put a lot of strain on their body when it’s not used to moving as much in the winter. As we age, our body can’t go from 0 – 60. Here are a couple of simple tips you can do to stay healthy and enjoy your spring free of injury:
Preventing injury will be much easier and more comfortable than recovering from it! If you do suffer an injury this Spring, we can help and are just a phone call away. Let us know and we’ll get you in right away! By: Brian Colvin, PT Don’t let winter get the best of you! When you’re trapped inside during these cold, snowy, winter months stay active. Her are five easy exercises to keep you going during the winter months without leaving home.
 2. Up and down a step: Find any step in your home and go up and down, alternating legs 20 x. 3. Cane raises: Use a cane, golf club or anything straight. Grab with hands shoulder width apart and lift overhead 20 x.  4. Arm curls: Grab any small wt. or object around the house and perform an arm curls 20x. 5. Overhead press: Again grab a small weight and press straight up overhead 20 x.  These five easy exercises won’t take longer than 5 minutes. If there too easy increase the number of repetitions or weight. Remember, spending a few minutes exercising each day keeps you going during these cold winter months.
Brian Colvin, PT  It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Including wonderful holiday food and treats!
The Christmas season can be one of the hardest times to eat healthy. Sugary and fatty foods are everywhere, and they ARE DELICIOUS! We feel better when we eat healthy and aren’t feeling bloated or crashing from all of the sugar and unhealthy fats, so here are some tips to keep from over-indulging over the next few weeks!
Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Total Diet Approach to Healthy Eating (JAND 2013) By: Lisa Bartz, C-EP  Are you one of the many people that would like to exercise in the winter but are not motivated to go out in cold weather? There are multiple ways to stay active this winter. The minimum requirements that the American College of Sports Medicine recommends to get a good workout includes either one of these two options:
1. 30 minutes of moderate cardio exercise five times per week. 2. 20 minutes of intense cardio exercise three times per week. It is generally thought that cardio exercise is an exercise performed for 20 minutes or more that elevates your heart rate to 60 to 80% of its maximum rate. So, take 220 (the heart's theoretical maximum) and subtract your age to get your age-related theoretical maximum. Then multiply that number by 60% and by 80% to get your target range for aerobic exercise. For example, for a 20-year-old: 220-20(age) = 200 BPM. (200 is their maximum heart rate.) 200×60% equals 120 beats per minute. 80% of 200 equals 160 beats per minute. So this person would try to exercise between 120 and to 160 bpm for 20 to 30 minutes. The higher heart rate would be a more aggressive cardio workout. Disclaimer: make sure you have medical clearance to perform aerobic activity before initiating any program! The most common forms of outdoor aerobic exercise in winter include cross-country skiing, walking, jogging, or snowshoeing. Indoor activities would include walking/running on a treadmill, exercising on an elliptical device, walking at the mall, swimming at a local indoor pool or using a stationary bicycle. Learn how to monitor your heart rate and try different ways to get your aerobic exercise in. Variety is the spice of life! Steve Bartz, PT  As the weather gets colder, we have a tendency to stop going for walks/runs outside and become less active. Instead of stopping your activities, stay healthy and active this winter by bundling up and continuing to get your exercise in!
Before exercising in the cold, whether that be walking, running or biking, warm up your muscles! Why warm up?
Don’t forget, when exercising outside in the winter make sure you are cautious of very cold temperatures and ice on the roads/sidewalks! Stay tuned for a blog on workouts can you do indoors this winter! (ACSM Basic Injury Prevention Concepts, October 2016) Lisa Bartz, EP-C |
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