Heat and humid weather, worsening knee arthritis pain...Himchan Hospital Odari is more careful
Jul 24, 2025
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Often, people complain that they have pain in their lower body when it rains or the weather is cloudy, because lower air pressure and higher humidity suppress the evaporation of water in the body, causing tension and severe swelling and pain in the muscles around the knee joint. In particular, if you are suffering from arthritis or have a so-called O-dari (bending leg), the pain can be worse in this environment.
Director of Himchan Hospital Orthopedic Surgery Lee Dong-nyeong said, `In general, it is easy to think that joint pain gets worse in winter, but even in the hot and humid summer, a combination of bad conditions can worsen pain for arthritis patients"Especially for patients with miscarriage, the pain sensitivity is much higher due to disproportionate load distribution and already advanced cartilage damage and inflammation, which may make them feel more acutely painful during summer temperature changes."
◇In summer, indoor and outdoor temperature differences adversely affect joint health...My right leg hurts more
Patients with degenerative arthritis or with experience of knee surgery are more sensitive to humid and low air pressure. This is because when humidity increases, water discharge and blood circulation in the body decrease, changing the viscosity of the lubricating fluid in the joint, and increasing friction between cartilage causes tissues around the joint to easily swell and become stiff.
In addition, in summer, activity naturally decreases as outdoor activities are reduced due to frequent rain or heat, which weakens the muscles around the joints, reducing the strength of the knee to support weight and shock, making it easier for the joints to be damaged.
It is also a problem to use cold air conditioners indoors for a long time due to hot and humid weather. If there is a large difference in indoor and outdoor temperature or if the joints are exposed to air conditioning winds for a long time, the muscles may harden and joint pain may worsen.
In particular, knee pain may be more severe in the case of the wrong leg. If the wrong leg is severe, the cartilage inside the knee is often worn out, because the lubricating fluid does not function properly due to humid weather, which intensifies friction on the joint surface. A normal joint can react much more sensitively to environmental changes that can withstand some extent. Moreover, if the right leg persists, it accelerates degenerative changes in the joint, making it easy for knee arthritis to worsen, so proper management and treatment are required.
◇ Be careful not to develop into shoulder and arthritis...It could bring down the balance of the whole body
The lower leg bone of the right leg is inclined inward and the thigh bone is inclined outward, widening the gap between the knees. Odari is common among Asians, and the sedentary lifestyle is pointed out as the main cause. In the case of the right leg, the weight load is loaded inside the knee, and the cartilage inside the knee is worn out, narrowing the joint gap, which in turn leads to a vicious cycle in which the entire leg is bent more severely.
The bent leg again puts a heavy burden on the inner cartilage, worsening arthritis faster. In addition, it affects not only the knee, but also the alignment of other lower limb joints such as pelvis, hip joints, and ankles, which can break the whole body balance.
If pain occurs due to a miscarriage, it can be considered a pathological disease, so it should be treated through correction. Oleg correction (fracture) is the correction of the deformed knee to its original leg shape by changing the shape of the bone, and the restoration of the leg shape can prevent arthritis from worsening further. Orthodontic surgery is recommended when there is a variation of 5 degrees or higher, and it is applied to patients in the first to third stages of arthritis under the age of 70. Treatment varies depending on the progression of arthritis after the age of 70, but artificial joint surgery is generally recommended rather than orthodontic surgery.
In order to prevent joint pain in summer, it is recommended to avoid direct exposure to the cold wind on the knee and to warm the joint with a blanket or outerwear.
Since joints are sensitive to temperature and humidity, it is recommended to keep the indoor temperature at around 26 degrees and not to exceed 5 degrees in temperature difference with the outside. If you feel pain, you can improve your symptoms by relaxing your surrounding muscles by stretching and increasing the temperature inside your joints with a warm compress to facilitate blood circulation.
Director Lee Dong-nyeong said, `If you have a right leg, you will put more pressure on the knee joint, so it is helpful to avoid knee-straining positions such as crossing legs or squatting, and to swim, indoor cycling, and walking, which do not strain your joints when exercising"If knee pain and swelling become severe, or if tenderness and heat are accompanied by pressing the knee, it is necessary to visit a specialist for examination rather than just the weather."
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This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
