Back Talk

Feeling the Chill: The Injuries We See Most in Winter

There’s a particular kind of patient who walks through our door in July. Shoulders hunched, neck barely turning, moving a little gingerly. “I don’t know what I did,” they say. “I just woke up like this.”

More often than not, they didn’t do anything in particular — the cold did it for them. Think of your muscles like a length of elastic. Warm, they stretch and recoil with ease. Cold, they tighten, lose a little give, and don’t take kindly to sudden demands. When the temperature drops, blood flow to your muscles and joints reduces, tissue contracts, and movements you’d normally make without a second thought start to come with a wince.

Winter also happens to be Australia’s busiest season for one of the most common reasons people end up needing care. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, around 62,100 sports injuries led to a hospital admission in 2023–24, with the winter football codes — AFL and soccer alone accounting for over 10,000 of them — and sprains and strains among the most common complaints. Add the slips, the stiff necks and the old injuries that flare every cold snap, and it’s no surprise the clinic gets busier as the mercury falls.

The good news? Almost all of it is preventable, and very treatable. In this article, we’ll walk through the injuries we see most through the colder months, why the cold makes them worse, and the simple things that keep you moving comfortably until spring.

Why the Cold Stiffens You Up

Your spine and surrounding muscles are constantly working to keep you upright, balanced and moving smoothly. In cold weather, that system works a little harder. Reduced blood flow means muscles stay tighter for longer, joints feel less mobile first thing in the morning, and the body becomes slower to respond when you ask it to move quickly.

That’s the perfect setup for a strain. A cold, under-prepared muscle asked to sprint, lift or twist is far more likely to complain than a warm, mobile one — and the niggle that follows can linger for weeks if it isn’t addressed.

The Complaints We See Again and Again

A few patterns turn up reliably every winter:

• Stiff, seized-up necks and backs. Our single most common cold-weather complaint — often after a night in a cooler room, or simply from tensing up against the chill.
• The weekend warrior strain. Footy, netball and the social game you said yes to after months on the couch. Going from hibernation to full effort without a proper warm-up is a recipe for pulled muscles.
• Old injuries returning for an encore. Cold and damp don’t cause arthritis or past injuries, but they’re very good at reminding you they exist.
• Slips, trips and the awkward grab. Wet leaves and slick steps mean more falls — and often it’s the sudden twist to catch yourself that does the damage, not the slip itself.
• The hibernation hunch. Shorter, darker days mean more hours folded over a desk or phone and fewer walks along the foreshore. Less movement quietly tightens hips and rounds the mid-back.

How Chiropractic Can Help

At Mordialloc Chiropractic, we don’t just chase the sore spot — we look at the whole picture. That means assessing how your spine is moving, where things have stiffened up, and whether the muscles meant to support you are doing their job. Through the winter months, our focus is on:

• Restoring movement in stiff, cold-affected joints
• Easing muscle tension that builds up as you brace against the cold
• Reducing pain and inflammation from strains and flare-ups
• Improving posture to undo the slow creep of the winter hunch
• Getting you back to sport safely, so a small niggle doesn’t become a long lay-off

Care is always tailored to you — your body, your history, and what you actually need to get moving again.

Small Changes, Big Difference

Most winter aches never have to reach the treatment table at all. A few simple habits go a long way:

• Keep moving. Even a short daily walk keeps joints mobile and blood flowing. Motion is lotion.
• Warm up properly before sport — genuinely warm, not a token stretch in the car park.
• Layer up, especially around the neck and lower back. Warm muscle is happy muscle.
• Check your setup. Working from home more in winter? Make sure your screen and chair aren’t slowly folding you forward all day.
• Don’t wait it out. A stiff neck or sore back caught early is a far easier fix than one you’ve been quietly managing for six weeks.

Winter aches are common, but they aren’t something you simply have to endure until spring. If your body’s been talking back to you lately — the stiffness, the niggle, the thing that flares every cold snap — that’s worth a proper look.

We’re here in the heart of Mordialloc right through the cold months, and a quick assessment now can save you a long, achy winter.