Weather Not Linked to Back Pain in Study

Does bad weather make your back hurt? Researchers have taken a close look at this question and concluded that the answer is no. The study included nearly 1,000 people. All of them visited primary care clinics because of acute (sudden) low back pain. Researchers looked at weather conditions when the back pain started, as well as a week and a month before. They found no connection between back pain and temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind direction or precipitation. Higher wind speeds and gusts were slightly more likely at the time the pain started than at other times. The journal Arthritis Care & Research published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it July 10.