Does it look like the cold weather leaves you with stiff, sore muscles? It's not your imagination; There is science behind the symptoms. Fortunately, you’ll be able to relieve discomfort and protect your muscles by stretching repeatedly.
How Cold Affects Muscles
Cold weather also affects nerves (which contribute to muscle function) and makes blood flow to muscles even less efficient.
All of those changes increase the chance of muscle and tendon injuries, especially in case you are less energetic within the winter and your muscles are weak and tight.
Two sorts of stretch.
Dr. Eby recommends two sorts of stretches to combat the consequences of cold weather.
Dynamic stretches prepare your muscles for activity. They consist of flowing, repetitive movements, equivalent to brisk walking. This activity sends blood, heat, and oxygen to the muscles to assist them work more efficiently and make them less more likely to tear. During the winter, they’re best performed when you’re inside.
Most years, you simply need just a few minutes of dynamic stretching before an activity, and you’ll be able to focus only on the muscles you'll be using (equivalent to leg muscles before walking). “But in cold weather, all the pieces gets tougher, and you wish a dynamic warm-up to your whole body. Do lunges or squats, bring each knee to your chest, make circles along with your arms, and Twist the trunk left and right for about 10 to quarter-hour,” says Dr. Abbey.
Static stretches keep muscles long and versatile and will only be done when your muscles are warmed up (eg after a workout).
To perform a static stretch, you hold a certain position for 20 to 30 seconds, without bouncing (which might tear muscle fibers). Examples are included.
- Place your hands behind you, straighten your arms, and lift them toward the ceiling, expanding your chest and shoulders.
- Sitting on the ground along with your legs out in front of you, reach to your feet, stretching the hamstrings (in the back of your thighs).
- Do a deep lunge along with your back heel on the bottom to stretch your calf muscles.
Static stretches feel good and lengthen muscles, which fight stiffness, increase your range of motion, and improve your posture, balance, and agility. Dr. Abbey recommends doing them each day as a preventative measure or to alleviate pain and stiffness.
Movement of the Month: Calf stretchStand up straight and hold the back of a chair. Extend your right leg back and press your heel into the ground. Bend your left knee and feel the stretch in your right calf. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat. Then repeat on the opposite side, along with your left leg back and your right knee bent.
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What else are you able to do?
While stretching could also be enough to ward off stiff winter muscles, the next suggestions can even help.
Stay hydrated. This helps prevent lactic acid from build up in your muscles and causing soreness.
Dress for the weather. “Dress warmly, with a hat, neck gaiter, and a vest or coat, so you don't have to remove as much blood from your arms and legs,” says Dr. Eby.
Take vitamin D.3. An absence of vitamin D may cause muscle aches and pains. Take 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D.3 per day
Avoid junk food. Stay away from highly processed foods, equivalent to cookies, chips and frozen dinners. These can contribute to inflammation throughout the body, resulting in muscle pain.
If the pain doesn’t go away.
If muscle pain doesn't go away, you could have an injury, equivalent to a muscle strain. An necessary tip: “Strained muscles feel better when you loosen up and exercise. Tight muscles feel worse when you keep moving,” says Dr. Eby.
She recommends applying ice packs to suspected muscle strains, applying topical pain relievers, and seeing your doctor if symptoms persist.