Don’t Blame The Weather For Body Pains, Study Says

Every time you experience body pain, don’t blame it on the weather. According to new studies on arthritis and back pains, rainy days or cold temperature have nothing to do with the onset of body pain. The belief that aches and pains are brought about by cold weather or when the temperature changes has no scientific basis.

It’s Not The Weather

The studies conducted by the George Institute for Global Health in Australia looked at 981 people suffering from lower back pain and 350 people who suffered from knee osteoarthritis. Results of both studies were published in the medical journals “Pain Management” and “Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.”

Taking a look at when the participants experienced pain and comparing this with the weather on those dates, the studies concluded that pain does occur more frequently during bad weather days, as opposed to days when weather can be considered good.

According to Health.com, the studies showed “no connection between the onset of symptoms and temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind direction, or precipitation, for back pain or knee pain.”

It Must Be Something Else

According to Chris Maher, PhD and director of the Institute’s musculoskeletal division, the notion that cold or bad weather can likely bring on body pain is not “scientifically accurate.” He added that while this may be possible for cold-blooded animals, it is not true for humans, who are warm-blooded. “So our body temperature is pretty constant and our basic physiological parameters are also tightly controlled, despite weather changes,” he explained.

Since it is not the weather that is causing one’s aches and pains, Maher’s team said that people should take a closer look at other “risk factors” that may be culprit. For example, those who are suffering from osteoarthritis must consider controlling their weight and the amount of physical activity that is safe for them.