Joints are places in your body where two bones come together, such as your wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles.
Joints also exist where you might not think. For example, there are joints between the many bones in your feet, hands, pelvis, and spine.
What is joint stiffness?
Joint stiffness is when a joint won’t move easily. Stiffness is different from being unable to move because you're weak or not wanting to move a joint because it hurts. Joint stiffness also is different from muscle stiffness. Stiff muscles may come from overdoing exercise or less often from disorders such as polymyalgia rheumatica Polymyalgia Rheumatica PMR is an inflammatory condition that causes severe pain and stiffness in the muscles of your neck, back, shoulders, and hips. Doctors don’t know what causes PMR It usually occurs in people... read more or fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes you to have pain and tenderness all over your body, extreme tiredness, and sleep problems. You may have pain, stiffness, or achiness throughout your body... read more .
Joint stiffness can be caused by injury or arthritis
Stiffness may be worse in the morning or get worse over the course of the day
Stretching and physical therapy may help with your stiffness
What causes joint stiffness?
Joint stiffness is usually caused by:
Holding a joint still for a long time, such as when you have a cast or splint on it
Different types of arthritis
A healed joint injury (such as a sprain)
What will happen at my doctor’s visit?
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and do a physical exam.
If doctors aren't sure whether you have arthritis, they may do:
Blood tests
X-rays
How do doctors treat joint stiffness?
Doctors will treat the cause of your stiffness.
Doctors may also have you treat your stiffness with:
Stretching
Putting heat on the joint, such as with a heating pad or hot shower
