Is "old cold legs" caused by not wearing long underwear? The temperature is about to warm up, can we take off the long underwear?

Review expert: Peng Guoqiu, deputy chief physician of the Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army

Every autumn and winter, the topic of "old cold legs" is repeatedly mentioned. The elders always remind us: "If you don't wear long underwear when it's cold, you will get 'old cold legs' when you are old!" They believe that if you don't wear long underwear when you are young, your joints will be exposed to cold, and your knees will be unbearable when you are old. Is this really the case?

What exactly is “old cold legs”?

"Old cold legs" is not a medical term, it usually refers to "knee osteoarthritis" , a chronic disease caused by the degeneration and damage of joint cartilage. The main symptoms are joint pain, stiffness, and limited movement, especially in cold and humid environments, so it is vividly called "old cold legs".

But it is worth noting that medical research shows that the main risk factors for osteoarthritis have little to do with temperature , but are affected by the following factors:

1. Age: Since cartilage gradually degenerates with age, osteoarthritis mainly occurs in middle-aged and elderly people.

2. Weight: Obesity will increase the burden on the knee joint and accelerate the wear of cartilage.

3. Genetic factors: The incidence of osteoarthritis is higher in some families, which may be related to genes.

4. Joint injury: People who engage in heavy physical labor, strenuous exercise for a long time, or have a history of knee joint injury are more likely to suffer from arthritis.

From these factors, it can be seen that "old cold legs" have no direct relationship with not wearing long johns. In other words, not wearing long johns will not cause osteoarthritis, but the cold environment may aggravate existing joint problems and make people feel more uncomfortable. Therefore, keeping warm in autumn and winter can indeed relieve symptoms, but it is not the key to preventing osteoarthritis.

Is it really reasonable to “keep warm in spring and keep cold in autumn”?

When it comes to keeping warm, we have to mention an old saying: "Keep warm in spring and cool in autumn, and you won't get sick." That is, don't take off clothes too early in spring and don't add clothes too early in autumn, so that the body can gradually adapt to the temperature changes, thereby reducing the risk of illness. Is there any scientific basis for this saying?

There is some truth in "Spring Cover"

The temperature rises in spring, but the temperature difference between day and night is large. Especially when cold air strikes, if you take off your thick clothes too early, you are prone to colds, respiratory infections and other diseases due to the cold. Studies have shown that the frequent occurrence of colds in spring is related to the body's ability to adapt to the ambient temperature. Therefore, it is reasonable to "cover up" appropriately in spring and then take off clothes after the temperature stabilizes.

"Autumn cold" varies from person to person

The theoretical basis of "autumn cold" is that exposing the body to a cool environment can improve cold tolerance and enhance immunity. However, modern medicine believes that this practice is not suitable for everyone. For people with weak constitutions, arthritis patients, and cardiovascular disease patients, autumn cold may increase health risks. For example:

1. The elderly and children: Their body's ability to regulate is poor, and excessive exposure to cold can easily lead to colds or chronic diseases.

2. Patients with cardiovascular disease: The lower temperature in autumn and winter may cause blood vessels to constrict, triggering cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

3. Arthritis patients: Cold stimulation will increase joint pain and worsen symptoms.

Therefore, “keep warm in spring and keep cold in autumn” is not a one-size-fits-all health rule, but needs to be flexibly adjusted according to individual constitution and weather changes.

How to protect your knees scientifically and stay away from "old cold legs"?

Since not wearing long underwear will not cause osteoarthritis, how can we protect the knee joints scientifically? The following suggestions are worth referring to:

1. Control your weight: avoid excessive load on the knee joints.

2. Moderate exercise: Low-impact exercises, such as swimming, cycling, yoga, etc., help keep joints healthy.

3. Keep warm: Cold environment can make joints stiff, so patients with arthritis should keep warm appropriately.

4. Avoid squatting for long periods of time: reduce extra pressure on the knee joints and prevent excessive wear.

5. Balanced diet: Supplementing with sufficient calcium, vitamin D, protein, etc. is helpful for joint health.