Lower Back Pain in Cold Weather: Why It Gets Worse and How to Fix It

Fall is officially here, and that means thick sweaters, pumpkin spice, cozy nights in, and…back pain? You’re not imagining it — your back pain might actually get worse in cold weather.

Cold weather triggers a protective response in your muscles and joints, causing them to contract and stiffen. For people with existing spinal dysfunction, this seasonal tightening often pushes manageable discomfort into debilitating pain.

At Spine Care of Manassas Chiropractic Center in Manassas, Virginia, Lincoln German, DC, CPN, and Mikaela Foley, DC, take a comprehensive approach to seasonal back pain. Rather than treating symptoms, they address the underlying postural and neurological factors that make your spine vulnerable to weather changes in the first place.

Why your low back pain feels worse in cold weather

Understanding the science behind cold-weather back pain can help you take steps to prevent it. Here are the main reasons your spine struggles when temperatures drop:

Chilly weather causes your muscles to stiffen and tighten

Cold temperatures reduce blood flow to your muscles, making them contract and lose flexibility. This muscle tightening creates additional stress on your spine, especially in areas that were already compromised. 

Your body naturally hunches inward to stay warm

When you're cold, your shoulders automatically roll forward and your back rounds as your body tries to conserve heat. This protective posture places your spine in a compromised position and can exacerbate existing imbalances, particularly in your thoracic (mid-back) and cervical (neck) regions.

Decreased blood circulation makes your spine less flexible

Cold weather constricts blood vessels, reducing circulation to your joints and surrounding tissues. With less blood flow comes decreased lubrication in your spinal joints, making movement more difficult and painful. Your vertebrae essentially become less mobile and more susceptible to injury.

You might feel hypersensitive to pain in cold weather

Cold weather can make you more sensitive to pain in general, so discomfort that was tolerable in warmer months suddenly feels overwhelming. Changes in barometric pressure that accompany weather fronts also tend to exacerbate inflammation in already irritated joints.

5 tips to manage low back pain when it’s cold out

Managing cold-weather back pain requires more than just bundling up. Here are specific strategies that can ease your discomfort:

1. Schedule massage therapy before the cold hits 

Regular massage therapy sessions help maintain muscle flexibility and blood flow, making your back less reactive to temperature changes. 

2. Consider spinal decompression therapy 

Cold weather compresses everything, including the spaces between your vertebrae. Spinal decompression creates gentle traction that counteracts this compression, giving your discs room to heal and reducing pressure on pinched nerves.

3. Focus on postural rehabilitation during winter months 

Cold weather naturally causes you to hunch and round your shoulders, reinforcing poor postural habits. This is actually the perfect time to work on postural rehabilitation since you're fighting against your body's natural cold-weather positioning.

4. Time your adjustments strategically 

Don’t wait until you’re in severe pain to see your chiropractor. Regular adjustments during cold months help maintain spinal mobility when your joints naturally want to stiffen up.

5. Warm up your car before driving 

Sitting in a cold car forces your body into a hunched position while your muscles are already tight. Give your car a few minutes to warm up so you're not adding cold stress on top of poor driving posture.

Get ahead of winter back pain in Manassas, Virginia

Cold weather exposes and amplifies existing spinal dysfunction, turning manageable discomfort into debilitating pain. Our team at Spine Care of Manassas Chiropractic Center addresses the underlying postural and neurological factors that make your spine vulnerable to seasonal changes, allowing you to stay comfortable throughout the winter.

Contact our Manassas office or book online to discover how comprehensive spinal care can help prepare your body for winter and prevent seasonal flare-ups before they occur.