Weather sensitivity, obesity and co What are actually the cause of joint pain?

Myth or truth? What's wrong with the supposed causes of joint pain?

Millions of Germans suffer from joint pain. Sufferers sometimes claim that the symptoms come from an overacidification of the body. Obesity and damp weather are also mentioned as reasons for the pain. But which assumptions are correct and which are only myths? Experts have answers.

Millions of people suffer from joint pain

Joint pain is widespread. Most affected are hands, knees and hips. The reasons for the complaints include a hyperacidity of the body, weather sensitivity or overweight. But are these actually causes of joint pain? The Society for Arthroscopy and Joint Surgery (AGA) comments on common assumptions.

Hyperacidity, weather sensitivity, obesity and co-there are - apparently - many reasons for joint pain. Experts comment on common assumptions. (Image: cirquedesprit / fotolia.com)

Causes hyperacidity arthrosis?

According to experts, arthrosis is the most common joint disease. It is often said that sufferers should not eat meat and cheese, among other things. For such foods provide an acidification of the body and this is to promote osteoarthritis.

The AGA explains in its statement: "Acidification of the body is when a one-sided diet with lots of meat, sausage, cheese, cereal products and sweets and little vegetables and fruit, the acidity in the body rises sharply.

The reason for this lies in the different metabolism of the food. Protein-containing foods such as meat, fish, eggs, but also cereal products such as bread, cakes, biscuits and alcohol, coffee and sugar are acid-forming, while fruits and vegetables usually have a base-forming effect.

If the body has to eliminate many acids permanently, the value of the stress hormone cortisol increases among others. A permanently elevated cortisol level can in turn have a negative effect on the bones and lead to osteoporosis (bone loss) - one of the causes of osteoarthritis (joint wear).

Even though the relationship is complex and there are many other causes of osteoarthritis in addition to osteoporosis, a balanced diet for the prevention of bone disease is definitely recommended, says the AGA.

Joint wear due to too much movement?

A healthy bone can be permanently loaded until old age. Exercise is basically just what the bone needs to stay healthy. If this does not take place sufficiently, the water content in the tissue decreases and the cartilage becomes less elastic.

The result: At first superficial roughening develops, which increase more and more rapidly from a certain degree. This can then develop the dreaded joint arthrosis.

Joint infections, autoimmune diseases or malnutrition can trigger these pathological processes.

However, caution should be exercised if the bone is damaged. Malposition or injury can result in arthritis, which is exacerbated by stressful contact sports (e.g., football, handball, basketball) or stop-and-go sports (e.g., tennis, step aerobics, squash).

Promotes too little movement joint wear?

"In the case of joint problems, the sporting principle applies: to move a lot, to put little stress on it", explained Prof. Dr. med. Andrea Meurer, Deputy President of the German Society for Orthopedics and Traumatology (DGOU) in a statement.

"Ideal are cyclical movements that move through the joint evenly without the use of force," said the doctor.

Among other cycling and swimming are sports that are useful in osteoarthritis.

Movement can also prevent joint wear. It is not for nothing that it is said: "Who will rust?" From the age of 30 years, the body starts to lose muscle mass, writes the AGA.

Exercise and exercise are therefore absolutely necessary to keep the body fit. Anyone who lets himself go for years and thus weakens the body does not spare his bones, but additionally puts a strain on them.

What may sound paradoxical is that the muscles carry the bone skeleton and thus protect against wear. If you want to do sports again after a long break, you have to slowly get used to your muscles.

A permanent overloading of the joints due to the lack of supportive muscles can lead to small cracks in the cartilage and thus trigger osteoarthritis.

By the way, caution should also be exercised with strong diets: The body responds to the sudden calorie withdrawal with an emergency program and builds muscles to consume less energy in the future.

So who wants to lose weight, should pay attention to proteins in the diet and do enough exercise.

Feel weather in the bones

Many people are weather-sensitive and feel a coming rain or a thunderstorm hours before. Common symptoms include headache, tiredness and irritability, as well as limb and muscle pain.

After having smiled at grandma, aunt or uncle for a long time with their complaints, today one knows more about the possible connections.

Researchers have also studied how bad weather affects pain.

One theory is that pain sensations do not follow rain, wet and cold, but are due to changes in air pressure. Air pressure is the weight of the atmosphere around us.

This pressure compresses the tissue in the body. If the air pressure falls, the tissue can expand more and presses on the joints - which can be felt as pain.

The connections are not yet scientifically proven, but there are tips for actually feeling the weather:

Heat helps, e.g. Prevent heat pads in the gloves, layered clothing, limb swelling, e.g. by moving or wearing compression gloves at night, warming up before you go into the cold - and keep your mood: the brain can bridge many sensations!

Obesity puts strain on the joints

Obesity is one of the major causes of joint wear. Five kilos overweight doubles the risk of knee osteoarthritis.

In addition to the knee, especially the hip is affected. Both joints carry the brunt of the overweight and still have to provide stability and agility. If there is a lack of exercise, the supporting muscles are also absent in the long term.

The cartilage loses elasticity and can protect the bone less and less, warn the experts of the AGA - Society of Arthroscopy and Joint Surgery.

To estimate the weight of the BMI calculator is recommended. Up to a value of 24.9 is in the range of normal weight.

The good news for the elderly: According to an American long-term study, the weight may be slightly higher in old age. People who were 80 years or older lived longer with a BMI between 25 and 29.9. (Ad)