Do Your Knees Hurt When the Weather Changes? What Helps

"My knee can tell when it is going to rain." If you have ever said this, you are far from alone. Many people with knee osteoarthritis or an old knee injury notice that their knees ache more on cold, damp days or just before the weather changes.

For a long time this was dismissed as an old wives' tale. Today most doctors take it seriously, even though science has not fully explained it yet.

What may be behind it

• Changes in air pressure. Before rain or a storm, air pressure usually drops. One theory is that the tissues around the joint expand slightly when the pressure outside falls, and a sensitive knee may feel this as tension or ache.
• Cold. In the cold, muscles tense up and the tissues around the joint become stiffer, so movement feels heavier. Blood vessels in the skin also narrow to keep heat in the body.
• Less movement. In bad weather we tend to stay inside and sit more. As we describe in our article on knee pain after sitting, a knee that moves less often gets stiffer.
• Mood and attention. Gray, gloomy days can lower our mood, and then we notice pain more. That does not mean the pain is imagined, only that the brain and the body work together.

What research says

Studies on weather and joint pain have given mixed results. Some found a link with air pressure, humidity or temperature, others found almost none. One reason is that people react very differently: some knees seem to work like a barometer, while others do not notice the weather at all. So if your knee reacts to the weather, take it seriously, but do not assume it has to get worse every autumn.

How to keep your knees comfortable when the weather turns

• Keep your knees warm. In cold, damp weather, warm clothing with a soft sleeve underneath helps keep the joint at a pleasant temperature.
• Warm up before you go out. A few minutes of gentle movement indoors, like the exercises from our 5-minute morning routine, prepare the knee for the cold.
• Keep moving indoors. When it is too wet for a walk, walk around the house, use an exercise bike or do a few chair exercises. The goal is to avoid long periods of sitting.
• Relax the knee with warm water. A warm shower, a warm bath or a warm compress on a stiff knee can ease the stiffness. Do not warm a knee that is swollen, red or hot.
• Dress in layers. It is easier to keep your whole body warm, and your knees with it, when you can add or remove layers as needed.
• Keep a simple diary. For a while, write down your pain from 0 to 10 and what the weather is like. You will see whether there really is a link, and your doctor gets useful information.

Should you move somewhere warmer?

Usually not because of your knees alone. People in warm climates have knee pain too, and the body usually gets used to a new climate, so the difference may fade. Small changes at home and good habits usually help more than a big move.

When to see a doctor

• the knee is swollen, red or warm, regardless of the weather
• the pain wakes you at night or does not ease even at rest
• the knee locks or gives way
• the pain gets worse day by day

You cannot change the weather, but you can prepare your knees for it. Warm clothing, regular movement and a little planning often make gray days much easier.

A sleeve you will actually wear

The best sleeve is the one that does not end up in a drawer. The KeenTrove Bamboo Knee Sleeve is made for exactly that:

• soft, breathable bamboo, comfortable even in summer
• fits snugly but does not dig in behind the knee
• does not lock the knee, so you move naturally
• wear it under your clothes during the day and in bed at night

With 60 days to get your money back, you have nothing to lose.

See the bamboo knee sleeve →

Note: this article is for information only and does not replace an examination by a doctor. If you have circulation problems or diabetes, or have recently had knee surgery, talk to your doctor before wearing compression.