Winter Stiffness: The Science Behind Winter Aches
- Juliana Rego
- Dec 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 7
As the seasons shift and colder days settle in, many people begin to notice a familiar pattern: tighter shoulders, heavier limbs, joints that feel less willing in the morning, or just a general sense of stiffness that wasn't there in summer.
These sensations are real, common, and grounded in how the body naturally responds to environmental change. They're not a sign of "doing something wrong", nor are they imagined, and research increasingly supports what so many of my clients intuitively feel when winter arrives.
In this article I gently unpack why cold weather makes your muscles and joints ache, and what science and research is beginning to reveal about temperature, circulation, fascia and pressure changes.
How Cold Temperatures Change Blood Flow
One of the most well-documented reasons for an increase in muscular and joint discomfort in winter is reduced circulation. When the body is exposed to cold, it prioritises keeping the vital organs warm by constricting the blood vessels in the extremities. This process is called vasoconstriction. According to a 2017 study of cold-water immersion, vasoconstriction causes significantly lower muscle blood flow and temperature after exposure, with measurable reductions in blood flow to the limbs, which helps explain winter stiffness.
To put this in simple terms, less circulation equals slower oxygen delivery, reduced nutrient flow and a mild "bracing" response in the soft tissues. This explains why our muscles often feel stiffer, heavier or slow to warm up in winter; they're functioning with less warmth and blood flow.
Lower temperatures also affect the muscle fibres directly by increasing muscle spindle activity (the sensory receptors involved in stretch and tension). When exposed to cold, muscle tissue naturally contracts to conserve heat, which is a protective evolutionary mechanism. This is our body's version of "tightening up" to stay warm. What this means is that cold temperature makes our muscles more reactive, guarded and switched on, even during rest.
This is what it sounds like when my clients describe what it feels like to me: "My shoulders are up by my ears", "My neck feels shorter" "Everything feels clamped down"
So remember, you're not imagining it, your body is responding exactly as it's designed to.
Why Joints Ache In Winter: It's Not Just "Ageing"
Joints respond to cold differently from muscles. Lower temperatures and reduced warmth can influence the following:
Synovial Fluid Thickness
Synovial fluid is the fluid that lubricates our joints. When exposed to cold, the synovial fluid becomes more viscous, making joints feel creakier. While this change is small, it is enough for sensitive joints to notice.
Barometric Pressure Shifts
This is one of the most researched connections between weather and pain. Studies have shown that falling barometric pressure can increase joint discomfort, especially in arthritic or already sensitised joints. A 2014 meta-analysis in pain found strong evidence linking barometric pressure changes with increased osteoarthritis pain. When pressure drops, tissues can slightly expand, increasing sensitivity in the knees, hips, hands and spine. So even if you may not feel the "weather change", your joints absolutely can.
Fascia's Relationship With Temperature (an overlooked factor)
Fascia, the connective tissue wrapped around our muscles and organs, is highly sensitive to temperature. In warmer conditions, fascia is more hydrated, elastic, and fluid. However, in colder environments, it can feel stickier, less pliable, and more adhesive, contributing to that slow, resistant feeling during winter movement. This means winter's combination of cold temperatures, reduced spontaneous movement, and more time spent sitting indoors creates the perfect landscape for fascial tightness, which is why bodywork often feels more relieving during colder months.
The Winter Posture Pattern: Why You "Hunch" Without Realising
Did you know that cold temperatures subtly shape our posture? Have you noticed that most people (including yourself) adopt a natural winter "bracing" pattern? This could look like shoulders drawn up, chest slightly collapsed, breath held or shallow, chin tucked, or arms close to the body. Sound familiar?
These micro-postural changes are unconscious, protective and very common, but they do increase muscular load across the neck, upper back, ribcage and lower back. So the cold doesn't just affect our tissues physiologically, it quietly changes the way we carry ourselves.
The Nervous System & Why Some People Feel Pain More Than Others
Cold temperatures increase nerve conduction latency, making the nervous system more reactive and this can amplify existing discomfort. Less daylight, more time spent indoors, disrupted routines and lower mood can also increase pain perception. Winter doesn't create pain out of nowhere, it simply intensifies the body's sensitivity.
While winter tension is common, certain patterns make it more noticeable. For example: naturally lower blood pressure or circulation, stress-related breath holding patterns, desk-based work, reduced activity, pre-existing sensitivity in fascia or joints, or chronic tension patterns. This simply means your body is more reactive to environmental change, and once you understand the mechanisms, it becomes easier to work with rather than against.
Small Winter Habits That Support The Body
Instead of routines or techniques, I've focused more on principles.
Prioritise Warmth Strategically
The body moves better when it feels safe and warm. Temperature affects tissue quality more than you realise.
Gentle, Regular Movement
Think softness and frequency over intensity. The goal is to keep circulation flowing, even in micro-movements.
Breath Awareness
Cold temperatures encourage holding the breath. By softening and lengthening the breath, you can reduce muscular guarding.
Hydration
Thirst signals reduce in winter, but fascia and muscles still require adequate hydration for comfort and elasticity.
Seek in-person treatment when your body feels "held" or compressed
Winter is the time when therapeutic bodywork becomes especially effective, as tissues respond more noticeably to warmth, intention, and skilled touch.
How Professional Support Helps
During the colder months, with regular sessions, my clients often experience improved circulation, softer fascia, reduced muscular guarding, more joint fluid movement, and a calmer nervous system. Hands-on bodywork and massage introduces what the winter body lacks. For example: warmth, movement, fluidity, space and nourishment.
Winter aches aren't a personal failure or a sign that the body is "breaking down". They're simply the result of intelligent, evolutionary physiology responding to a shift in temperature, pressure, light, and routine.
Understanding this can help you feel more compassion towards your body, and be more empowered to support and care for yourself through the colder months.
Your body is doing exactly what it was designed to do. It just needs a little more warmth, gentleness, and care this season.
If winter has you feeling tighter, heavier or less at ease, my therapeutic treatments are designed to bring warmth, movement and flow back into the body. You're welcome to book your treatment when convenient. I look forward to welcoming you whenever you're ready.
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