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Reasons for Winter Back Pain

By Donna Stark

The winter season can bring a lot of exciting things to the year. We have picturesque weather, winter sports, and holiday time with the family to look forward to. However, the colder months can also bring some unpleasant things as well, and what tops the list for many people is back pain! That's right. The time of year when you need your back to work the best is when it decides to put up a fight. But don't worry! There are several precautions you can take so that your back is in tip-top shape for all of your winter activities.

It's Cold and Your Back Hurts

So many people will swear that the drop in temperature causes extra back pain, and for a variety of reasons, they may be right! Let's take a look at a couple of them here so that we can understand why back pain may rear its ugly head during the winter.

  • Tightness - Our bodies react to cold weather by diverting blood from our extremities and sending it to our vital organs, like the brain, heart, and lungs. It does this to keep them warm, but in doing so, it also causes our muscles, tendons, and ligaments to have less blood. When this happens, they can tighten and become stiff, which can place extra strain on the spine.
  • Less exercise - It's easy to head outdoors for some exercise when the weather is good but that's not often the case during the winter months. Cold temperatures, extreme elements, and dangerous terrain can be a very discouraging factor when it comes to your daily workout and that's unfortunate, because exercise is often encouraged if you struggle with back pain.
  • Physical activity - Whether it's for fun or work, there is a lot of physical activity to be had during the winter months, which means there are plenty of opportunities to injure your back. From skiing to shoveling, snow and ice can certainly wreak havoc on your spine and can leave you suffering in pain for days.

Prioritizing the Health of Your Spine

Even though the winter season is full of risk when it comes to the health of your back, if you take the proper precautions to prioritize your safety, you may be able to weather through this "storm."  So be sure to dress warmly, continue with your normal exercise routine, and follow all the correct posture tips when you are out having fun or hard at work in the elements. And finally, take comfort in the fact that winter always has an end and springtime is right around the corner.  

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Beaverton, Ore.

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