Can your joints predict the weather?

There’s an old wives’ tale that claims some people can predict storms almost before the weatherman does. Many patients say that they can feel the cold or an upcoming storm in their bones and joints. This can either be in an old injury or scar, or after surgery such as fracture fixation or joint replacement. But is there any scientific basis to these claims?

Bones are covered in a layer called periosteum. This is a thin layer of tissue containing nerve endings. The periosteum is the reason why you feel pain when you fracture or injure a bone. When barometric pressure falls, bones expand ever so slightly, stretching this layer and causing pain. A drop in barometric pressure is associated with weather changes and rain. This could explain the sensation of “I feel a storm coming in my bones”. Some even sense the temperature is going to plunge because their hands and feet start to get cold due to a slowed down circulation.

Softer tissue in our body also expand and contract with changes in pressure. After all our bodies are composed of almost 70% water, it is only logical that it responds to pressure changes. This is why scars and sports injuries unrelated to bones can also be more sensitive when the rain comes.

So the next time you hear someone say that they can feel the weather change in their hands or their bones it may be wise to grab an umbrella and head for cover. Science does support this old wives’ tale!