Covid-19: Joint pain, muscle pain bother much during winter; try this for relief

We all have witnessed that muscle pain, joint pain significantly increase in winter. Our body tries to conserve heat and energy during winter by reducing blood flow to areas close to the skin. "Due to cold, lack of movement and decreased blood flow, the muscles sometimes become stiff which makes elderly people prone to fall and injury," said Dr Rajesh Malhotra, AIIMS Delhi, while talking to All India Radio.

In winter, people stay at home most of the time. Due to the spread of Covid, this confinement has extended. This further results in a lack of blood circulation in the muscle and joint areas. The muscles become stiffer when confined to one place without proper exercise. Vitamin D is very vital for bone and overall health. Vitamin D deficiency in winter becomes more pronounced. The long period of Covid onslaught has further increased vitamin D deficiency in children and the elderly. So, all these factors culminate to make winters painful.

Joint pain in viral infection is common. Chikungunya and Dengue leave our joints and muscles in pain, even long after recovery in some cases. "Covid being a virus disease, people complain of joint and muscle pain which is common in viral illness," says Dr Rajesh Malhotra.

Exercise regularly
This leads to increased blood flow to muscles and joints. Also, muscle strength increases with regular exercise and a healthy diet. This alleviates pain to a great extent and protects one from sudden falls due to muscle stiffness.

Get Vitamin D
Spend time in the open in Sun for allowing your skin to produce vitamin D. Your body can't produce vitamin D from the sun rays that reach you after being filtered from glass. The sunrays should directly fall on your skin to produce Vitamin D.

Vitamin D supplements available in the market should be consumed after consulting a doctor.

Have a balanced diet to get enough calcium and protein in your diet apart from other micro and macronutrients.