Relationship between meteorological change and joint pain in a group of individuals

Main Article Content

Article Sidebar

Published 2021 June 5
Raquel Perez
Annelie Plett
Eric Benegas
Anthon Torres
Alma Ayala
Nicolás Ramírez
Sandra Perez
Idalina Stanley

Abstract

Introduction: Joint pain can be influenced by obesity, sedentary lifestyle, rheumatic conditions, or previous joint surgeries, but many people often attribute increased joint pain to changing weather patterns. There are even individuals who claim that they can predict weather changes by their symptoms.

Materials and method: observational, cross-sectional, analytical study. A survey documenting clinical variables (i.e. age, pathological history) and data related to pain and meteorological changes that could be associated with pain were documented. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. The association between the presence of pain prior to or during the meteorological change and associated factors, was evaluated by nX2 test and the OR with its respective CI. Values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: 147 individuals were included, 59.9% (88/147) of the respondents were female. The respondents were divided into two groups, young adult and mature adult, according to an age range. Forty six percent belonged to the young adult group and 53.74% to the ma- ture adult group. A total of 39.46% (58/147) reported pain before a meteorological change. Of the patients who reported pain, 55.5% (32/58)reported the knee as the most frequent area of pain. There was no statistically significant association between the presence of pain prior to a specific meteorological change
(i.e. temperature variation or the presence of rain). However, an association was observed between the presence of pain prior to temperature change and mature adult age group (p=0.008, OR=0.398 CI= 0.20-0.79). No association was found between the presence of pain and other clinical characteristics reported by the respondents.
Conclusion: The majority of respondents in the older adult group perceived joint pain prior to a change in the weather. The mature adult group manifested some pain more frequently. The young adult group mostly did not report pain prior to weather change.

How to Cite

1.
Perez R, Plett A, Benegas E, Torres A, Ayala A, Ramírez N, et al. Relationship between meteorological change and joint pain in a group of individuals. Rev. parag. reumatol. [Internet]. 2021 Jun. 5 [cited 2026 Oct. 27];7(1):23-6. Available from: https://www.revista.spr.org.py/index.php/spr/article/view/136

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Abstract 686 | PDF (Spanish) Downloads 313

Article Details

Keywords

joint pain, climate change, joint

References
(1) Lozano Lizarraga L. Obesidad, gonartrosis y artroplastia total de rodilla [Internet]. ARTHROS. 2007; vol. 4(2): 5-8.
(2) Brennan S. A., Harney T., Queally J. M., O’Connor McGoona J., Gormley I. C., Shannon F. J. Influence of weather variables on pain severity in end-stage osteoarthritis [Internet]. International Orthopaedics. 2012; vol. 36(3): 643-646.
(3) Nyberg G, Nybeg A. «Weather Forecasting in Rheumatic Disease». Arch Met Geoph Biocl. 1984; vol. 34(3): 267-272.
(4) Mitchell S. The relations of pain to weather. Am J Med Sci. 1877; (73): 305-329.
(5) Everett J.T. Studies in relation to the production of pain by weather. Chicago Med J Exam. 1879; vol. 38: 253-260.
(6) Office Arthritis Foundation National. Your Local Weather Predict your joint pain level based on the local weather. Arthritis Found- ation. s.f. https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/tools- resources/weather/
(7) McAlindon T, Formica M, Schmid CH, Fletcher J. Changes in Baro- metric Pressure and Ambient Temperature Influence Osteoarthritis Pain [Internet]. Am J Med. 2007 May 1;120(5):429–34.
(8) Botella Cayuelas M. Relación entre los parámetros meteoroló- gicos (temperatura y presión barométrica) y percepción del dolor en la osteoartritis [Internet]. Universidad Miguel Hernández. 2017; N° expediente 1005: 38.
(9) Román Ortiz C, Tenías Burillo J, Ballester Diez F. Revisión sistemática y metaanálisis de las evidencias científicas sobre la relación entre variables meteorológicas y artrosis [Internet]. Universidad de Valencia. 2017: 122.
(10) Rhianon D. True or False: Changes in the Weather Can Make Your Joints Stiff or Achy [Internet]. Cancer Care of Western New York. 2019.
(11) Naciones Unidas. Directrices provisionales sobre clasificaciones
internacionales uniformes de edades [Internet].1983;74:29.
(12) Guedj D, Weinberger A. Effect of weather conditions on rheumatic patients [Internet]. Ann Rheum Dis. 1990;49(3)
(13) Janus D, Drabiszczak J, Zakrzewska A. The influence of weather on articular complaints of patients with osteoarthritis [Internet]. Reumatologia. 2005;43(4).
(14) Timmermans EJ, Schaap LA, Herbolsheimer F, Dennison EM, Maggi S, Pedersen NL, et al. The Influence of Weather Conditions on Joint Pain in Older People with Osteoarthritis: Results from the European Project on OSteoArthritis [Internet]. J Rheumatol. 2015;42(10)
(15) Peultier L, Lion A, Chary-Valckenaere I, Loeuille D, Zhang Z, Rat A-C, et al. Influence of meteorological elements on balance control and pain in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis [Internet]. Int J Biometeorol. 2016.
(16) Vergés J, Montell E, Tomàs E, Cumelles G, Castañeda G, Marti N, et al. Weather conditions can influence rheumatic diseases [Internet]. Proc West Pharmacol Soc. 2004;47
(17) Ferreira ML, Zhang Y, Metcalf B, Makovey J, Bennell KL, March L, et al. The influence of weather on the risk of pain exacerbation in patients with knee osteoarthritis -a case-crossover study [Internet]. Osteoarthr Cartil. 2016;24(12)
(18) Çay HF, Sezer I, Firat MZ, Kaçar C. Which is the dominant factor for perception of rheumatic pain: meteorology or psychology? [Internet]. Rheumatol Int. 2011;31(3) [cited 5 Oct 2019].
Section
ORIGINAL ARTICLES

How to Cite

1.
Perez R, Plett A, Benegas E, Torres A, Ayala A, Ramírez N, et al. Relationship between meteorological change and joint pain in a group of individuals. Rev. parag. reumatol. [Internet]. 2021 Jun. 5 [cited 2026 Oct. 27];7(1):23-6. Available from: https://www.revista.spr.org.py/index.php/spr/article/view/136

Share

Similar Articles

1-10 of 42

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.