23/09/2025
With all the blustery weather recently, it really feels like Autumn is upon us.
Different seasons all bring different challenges to a physiotherapist. As we head into Autumn:
The temperature drops, and this leads to muscles and joints feeling stiffer, the bodies circulation slows down, and warming up the body takes longer.
The damp, wet, and slippery ground leads to more slips, trips, and falls outdoors, for walkers, hikers, runners and sports players.
Shorter daylight hours means less physical activity, our mood changes, and poorer adherence to rehab is noted.
Also, seasonal sports, gardening and DIY jobs such as rugby, football, cross-country running, and heavy autumn gardening, raking leaves and repairing storm damage will bring specific strains.
The best advice is:
Keep active and consistent, try not to let the darker evenings stop exercises and rehab.
Dress in layers that are easy to put on and off during exercise, and wear supportive footwear outdoors. Proper walking boots and trail running shoes offer much more support and grip on the wet, slippery ground.
Stay hydrated to help prevent injuries (people forget when it’s cooler).
Use light, regular movement throughout the day to prevent stiffness.
And, finally, don’t skip physio just because your symptoms feel seasonal — early intervention is always key.
www.countryphysio.co.uk
