When temperatures drop, you may notice more aches and pains in your joints. Knees may feel stiff when getting out of bed. Hands might ache while gripping the steering wheel. Hips or your back can feel sore after sitting for too long. This is often called winter joint pain, and it’s common during the colder months.

“It’s normal for cold temperatures to affect our joints and muscles, sometimes causing pain or stiffness,” says Kevin Baidoo, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Northwestern Medicine. “If you have arthritis or another chronic condition, the cold weather may cause your symptoms to flare up. When you add that we tend to exercise and move less in the colder months, we can experience more achiness in our bodies than we do in warmer months.”

Why Cold Weather Affects Joints

Colder temperatures can impact joints in a few ways:

• Reduced circulation: Blood vessels narrow in cold weather to protect the body’s core body heat, which can limit blood flow to the arms and legs and may influence blood pressure.
• Changes in barometric pressure: Drops in air pressure before snow or rain can cause tissues around joints to expand slightly.
• Thicker joint fluid: Cold, dry air can make the synovial fluid in your joints less slippery, leading to stiffness and reduced range of motion.

Together, these changes can make joints feel tight, sore and less flexible.

“Winter aches are a real thing,” says Biana M. Polak, DO, a rheumatologist at Northwestern Medicine. “The change in barometric pressure can influence our inflammatory cells and pain receptors, leading to more stiffness and aching in joints. Cold weather also makes things ‘slower’ because blood vessels tend to be more constricted, so our joints can feel locked up.”

Who Is Most Affected by Winter Joint Pain?

Winter joint pain can affect anyone, but it’s often more noticeable in:

• Adults with arthritis or other chronic joint conditions
• Older adults, whose joints may be less flexible
• People with past injuries, such as an old knee, ankle or shoulder issue
• Runners, athletes and highly active individuals
• Anyone who moves less during the winter months

Less movement often leads to more stiffness, which can make pain during winter feel worse.

Which Joints Are Most Affected?

Some joints are especially sensitive to cold weather, including:

• Knees and hips, which support body weight
• Hands and wrists, which have many small joints and less muscle for warmth
• Feet and ankles, where circulation can be reduced
• Lower back, especially when muscles tighten in response to cold

Joints affected by arthritis or old injuries are often the first to feel winter discomfort.

Age Matters

Younger adults may notice joint discomfort related to activity, sports or overuse, and symptoms often improve quickly once they warm up. Older adults, however, may experience longer‑lasting stiffness and pain. Age-related changes in cartilage, muscle strength and circulation can make cold weather especially challenging.

Why Runners and Athletes Feel Winter Pain More

Runners and athletes often train outdoors year‑round, and cold weather can make that more difficult. Muscles take longer to warm up, and tight muscles can pull on joints.

Cold conditions can:

• Reduce flexibility
• Limit range of motion
• Increase muscle tightness
• Make joints feel stiff at the start of activity

To stay comfortable and avoid injury, wear weather‑appropriate gear, such as:

• Compression sleeves for knees or elbows
• Thermal joint supports
• Compression or insulated gloves
• Moisture‑wicking base layers
• Warm socks and insulated shoes

When and How to Stretch in Cold Weather

Before you head outside, focus on gentle warm-ups, such as:

• Marching in place
• Arm circles
• Easy leg swings

After activity, when muscles are warm, stretching can help improve range of motion and flexibility. Focus on your calves, hamstrings, hips, shoulders and chest.

Indoor Exercises That Help During Winter

Staying active indoors is one of the best ways to manage winter joint pain. Even short periods of daily movement can reduce stiffness. Helpful options include:

• Walking at a mall or indoor track
• Yoga or gentle stretching
• Resistance band workouts
• Swimming or water aerobics
• Riding a stationary bike
• Strength training (See the exercises below.)

Strength Training Supports Joint Health

Strength training helps protect joints by building muscles that absorb shock and reduce stress. These exercises can help support joint health.

Without weights

Chair squats

• Sit back toward a chair with knees over ankles and stand up.
• Repeat for one minute.
• Focus on using your hips and thighs.
• Hold onto a chair to provide support and keep the movement safe and controlled.

Wall sits

• Lean against a wall and slide down into a seated position with knees over ankles.
• Rest your back against the wall.
• Hold this position for one minute to build strength in the thighs without stressing the knees.

Standing leg lifts

• From a standing position, lift your right leg to the right side and lower it.
• Repeat for one minute and switch sides.
• Repeat the leg lifts to the front and back on both sides.
• This strengthens hip muscles and improves balance with low impact to the joints.

Glute bridges

• Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-distance apart on the floor.
• Lift your hips and then lower to the ground.
• Repeat for one minute.
• This strengthens the glutes and hamstrings and supports low back stability.

Bird dog (core exercise)

• On hands and knees, extend your right arm forward (shoulder height) and left leg back (hip height). Keep the spine neutral.
• Hold for 30 seconds and switch sides.
• This improves core strength, stability and control.

With light weights

Step ups

• Step onto a low platform or step while holding light weights to strengthen legs and improve balance.
• Alternate the foot that steps up first each time.
• Repeat for one minute.

Shoulder presses

• While standing, hold light weights at shoulder height. Extend your arms overhead and then bring them back to shoulder height.
• Repeat for one minute. You can also alternate one arm at a time, 30 seconds on each side.
• This strengthens shoulder and upper‑arm muscles with controlled, safe movement.

Seated rows

• While standing or seated, hold a resistance band or light weights several inches in front of your belly. Pull your elbows back, gently squeezing your shoulder blades toward one another.
• Bring your hands back to the starting position and repeat for one minute.
• This works the upper back and improves posture.

• Walk while holding light weights to build grip strength, core stability and endurance.
• The focus should be on controlled movement and good form, not heavy lifting.

Simple Home Changes That Can Help

A few adjustments around the house can make a difference in keeping joints comfortable throughout the winter.

• Use a humidifier: Add moisture into dry indoor air, which may help reduce stiffness and make breathing more comfortable.
• Add rugs or mats to cold floors: Create warmer walking surfaces and reduce the shock of stepping onto chilly tiles or hardwood.
• Choose chairs with good back support: Maintain proper posture and reduce strain on your spine and hips when sitting.
• Keep blankets within easy reach: Stay warm without turning up the thermostat, especially during early mornings or evenings when temperatures drop.
• Take short standing or stretching breaks throughout the day: Keep joints loose, improve circulation and prevent stiffness.

Nutrition and Joint Health

What you eat can help reduce inflammation and support overall joint comfort, especially during winter. A balanced, nutrient‑rich diet helps your body manage inflammation, maintain healthy cartilage and keep muscles strong enough to support your joints. Foods recommended include:

• Fatty fish, such as salmon, which is rich in omega‑3 fatty acids that may help reduce inflammation
• Fruits and vegetables, especially colorful produce and leafy greens, which provide antioxidants and vitamins that support tissue repair and immune health
• Whole grains, such as oatmeal and brown rice, which offer fiber and nutrients that can help regulate inflammation
• Healthy fats, such as olive oil and nuts, which can support heart and joint health

Talk with your doctor about whether you should take supplements, such as vitamin D, to support bone health, or omega‑3s to help with inflammation.

Does Heat Help Winter Joint Pain?

Applying heat can be a simple, comforting way to ease winter joint pain. Heat therapy works by increasing blood flow, loosening tight muscles and helping joints move more easily. Common ways to use heat include:

• Heating pads provide steady, targeted warmth to areas like the back, knees or shoulders.
• Warm baths or showers relax the body and can help reduce overall stiffness, especially first thing in the morning.
• Warm towels, heated briefly in the dryer or with warm water, offer a quick, gentle option.
• Topical warming creams create a sensation of heat on the skin and may help relax tense muscles.

Heat tends to be helpful for stiffness. Use it as part of your morning routine or before activity to relax joints and improve mobility. If joints are swollen or tender, cold therapy may be more helpful. Check with your doctor if you’re unsure which is best for you.

Over‑the‑Counter Treatment Options

Some people use over‑the‑counter medicine to relieve pain. Common options include:

• Acetaminophen for general pain relief
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen
• Topical creams or gels applied directly to sore joints

Always follow the directions on the label and talk with your doctor if you have questions or underlying health conditions.

“With warm clothing, more movement and over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or NSAIDs, you can get through most winter aches,” says Dr. Polak.

When To Seek Medical Attention

It’s important to talk to your doctor if joint pain includes:

• Ongoing swelling
• Redness or warmth in your joints
• Pain that doesn’t improve or continues to worsen
• Morning stiffness that lasts longer than an hour

These symptoms may signal an underlying condition that requires medical attention.