# Why does my leg hurt when it rains? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 21, 2001, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897 "2001-03-21T17:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897/1 "2001-03-21T17:44:16Z")
That’s it. That’s my question. It’s been raining since last night here in Baltimore. My leg just started hurting about 2 hours ago. It’s a dull ache that’s more annoying than anything. When it rains for long periods of time, the same leg will start aching. I don’t work outside. I do have window office, though. But why does my leg hurt if I’m inside? Would it hurt if I worked outside, too? ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897/2 "2001-03-21T19:59:52Z")
You should, of course, see a doctor. But you haven’t said what part of your leg hurts. Why don’t you go outside for a while and see if your leg still hurts. My guess is that it would. Damp weather can make people with rheumatoid arthritis ache more. Is it the whole leg or just a part? IANAD, but there are plenty of good doctors on the Board that may give you some insight if you give them enough facts. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897/3 "2001-03-21T20:15:17Z")
Why does damp weather aggrevate arthritic conditions? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897/4 "2001-03-21T22:15:15Z")
On thing have heard is that it is related to pressure. Rain is usually accompanied by a low pressure system. It is the low pressure (or the change in pressure), not the rain per se, that aggravates the joint. ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897/5 "2001-03-22T01:55:53Z")
Try checking around with [http://www.google.com](http://www.google.com) and something like: arthritis weather ache or arthritis rain pain or ache I just did this for a relative, found a good packet from the Arthritis foundation and more from a Canadian medical site or two. While research couldn’t find out exactly what the atmospheric pressure did or even where, the changes (lowering pressure usually associated with rain) do cause a good percentage of people with arthritis aches or pains in joints. Good info. Jois ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897/6 "2001-03-22T02:27:19Z")
The association is by no means proven. [This paper](http://www.pnas.org/content/vol93/issue7/#PSYCHOLOGY), for example, would say there is **no** association\*. PNAS is a highly reputable journal, but more importantly, I am friends with the author. [sub]\*The full text is available without charge or registration at the site[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897/7 "2001-03-22T02:43:20Z")
Maybe it rains when your leg hurts. ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897/8 "2001-03-22T03:44:46Z")
Hi Karl, Interesting! Seems that identifying the aches and pains with something was a way of putting a bracket around it - “I get this pain just before it rains and know I’ll feel better soon.” - that kind of thing, an assurance that the aches and pains weren’t going to be this bad all the time. Jois ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-leg-hurt-when-it-rains/58897/9 "2001-03-22T20:43:00Z")
**Cecil Adams** on [Does a change in the weather make people’s joints ache?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_057.html)