Winter Wellbeing: supporting bone and joint health...

The cold weather can be refreshing and crisp, but it can also come with some complications for people’s health. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to take some extra measures to keep yourself fit and healthy throughout the winter months.

It’s important to note that the cold weather doesn’t necessarily cause illnesses or problems, instead it can bring out or worsen already present health issues like arthritis, asthma etc.

In the colder winter months, there’s a lack of sunlight compared to the spring and summer, and this isn’t good for bones and joints as the sun is a key provider of vitamin D. This is an important vitamin which supports bone strength and their overall health. There’s a natural drop in vitamin D during the winter months which can make bones and joints ache, flare up pre-existing conditions like arthritis, carpal tunnel, and osteoporosis.

These conditions can cause a lot of pain or discomfort, and many people may struggle to carry out their tasks at work. For instance, working in a factory setting might include a lot of repetitive movements on a production line or with machines, they might find it difficult to do with the aches and pains. In an office environment, people’s wrists might hurt, or someone’s carpal tunnel can flare up, making it really hard to type and carry out certain desk jobs.

How can Occupational Health help?

With the support of occupational health, work absences, ill-health, and safe working environments can be achieved. Case management ensures that staff have support from the beginning to the end of their health issue, so that they can return to work safely or continue working with adjustments so that they stay healthy.

During the winter months, there’s a lot of health factors that can make work more difficult for people, if they continue to attend, and so employees as well as businesses need some extra support. With occupational health technicians, nurses, and physiotherapists, early health issues can be helped with preventative strategies, or it can help those with ailments return to work safely. Ergonomics can be really useful to consider in the darker months, as the cold can creep into bones and cause a few extra health concerns with our joints. Having some adjustments in the workplace to support those with poor bone and joint health, can mean that more employees remain healthy and in the workplace, with higher levels of productivity.