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OrthoArizona has 70 premier musculoskeletal specialists. The orthopedic surgeons and primary care physicians specialize in all areas of orthopedic care including sports, medicine, spine, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, hip and knee, foot and ankle, podiatry, trauma, industrial injuries and workers’ compensation.

Why Are My Joints Stiff?

Your joints need to be able to move freely and fluidly so that you can move your body. Sometimes, though, they do not operate as they should, and you might feel that your joints are stiff and more difficult to bend than usual.

Joint stiffness can affect any of the many joints in your body, such as the ones on your fingers, your hands, your wrists, your knees, and your elbows. When one or more of your joints is stiff, you may well find it more difficult than it usually would be to do things such as walk, stand, type, or complete any number of other important daily tasks. If your symptoms are ongoing, you should seek treatment in order to restore yourself to regular functionality.

Stiff joints can be caused by a range of different things, from autoimmune conditions and aging to injuries and strain to the joints themselves. If it is only minor stiffness, that is not necessarily much of a problem, but more severe stiffness can require extensive treatment to restore functionality.

Below, we will introduce you to some of the most common causes of joint stiffness, as well as how to manage minor stiffness on your own and how best to treat more severe joint stiffness problems.

What Does Joint Stiffness Mean?

Joint stiffness is a general term that covers a lot of different specific conditions, all of which have roughly the same symptoms. This generally occurs when you find it difficult to move a joint or a joint’s range of motion is limited or uncomfortable. Joint stiffness can sometimes occur just after you wake up or stand up from a period of sitting. In other cases, stiff joints can be much more severe and may occasionally be accompanied by physical pain and noticeable inflammation. You may find that you have some difficulty doing things such as walking, standing upright for any period of time, or putting any weight on your joints at all.

What Causes Joint Stiffness?

There are several different things that can cause joint stiffness to occur, including but not limited to the following conditions:

Osteoarthritis– This is a type of arthritis that occurs when cartilage, which normally cushions and protects your joints, starts to break down with age. Osteoarthritis most often affects areas such as your knees, your hips, your neck, your lower back, and your fingers.

Rheumatoid arthritis– Rheumatoid arthritis is a common chronic inflammatory condition that causes your own immune system to attack the cartilage that lines and protects your joints. This condition often affects the wrists and the smaller joints found in the hands and feet.

Gout– This is actually a third type of arthritis rather than a disease. Gout can come on suddenly and can affect any joint. In most cases, the first sign of gout is stiffness and swelling of your big toe.

Hypothyroidism– Hypothyroidism is the term for when your thyroid gland is not as active as it should be, which is not to be confused with hyperthyroidism, which is when it is too active. An underactive thyroid gland can cause a huge number of different symptoms, including problems such as fatigue, unexpected weight gain, and joint stiffness anywhere in the body.

Lupus– This is a relatively uncommon chronic autoimmune disease which often affects the joints of the knees, wrists, and fingers. Symptoms are widely variable and can come and go suddenly and unexpectedly. Lupus symptoms can range from mild to severe and often change.

Bursitis– Bursitis is a condition that occurs when the bursae, which are small sacs of fluid that provide cushioning to your joints, become inflamed. Bursitis occurs most commonly in the elbow, shoulder, and hip joints, although it can occasionally affect any joint in your body.

Polymyalgia rheumatica- Otherwise known as PMR, this inflammatory joint disease is primarily found in people over age 50, with few exceptions. It causes a feeling of stiffness and pain in the shoulders, the neck, the hips, the wrists, and the fingers.

Fibromyalgia– This is a chronic pain condition that affects muscles and causes exhaustion, and many patients often report experiencing joint stiffness as well as their other symptoms.

Bone cancer– Bone cancer is very rarely a cause of joint stiffness, but on the rare occasions that it occurs, stiffness from bone cancer most commonly affects the joints of the long bones in the arms and legs.

How is Joint Stiffness Treated?

Stiff joints are most often treated by treating the underlying cause of the stiffness. That means there are as many different treatments as there are causes. Additional treatment will also often be needed simply to provide relief from the symptoms. Treatment for stiff joints can include one or more of the following options, depending on what your doctor thinks is best for you:

Hot or cold compresses- A cold compress used for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, used several times a day, can moderately reduce swellings and pain. Alternatively, a heating pad or a hot bath or shower can also provide moderate relief from your symptoms.

Over-the-counter medications- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirins or ibuprofen may provide a significant amount of relief, especially if your joint stiffness is minor and caused by arthritis rather than a more serious condition.

Steroids- Corticosteroid injections can be useful to reduce inflammation, which in turn causes joint stiffness and pain to decrease significantly. This is not a long-term solution, as injections may become gradually less effective over time.

Physical therapy- Directed exercises can be extremely useful to increase joint mobility and help relieve stiffness.

Speak with an Orthopedic Specialist Today

Are you suffering from a recent injury? Make an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists today to start your healing journey. OrthoArizona has nearly two dozen offices throughout the Valley, each focused on quality care, compassion, and excellent customer service. Since 1994, OrthoArizona has been dedicated to compassionate care of the highest quality.

The advice and information contained in this article are for educational purposes only and are not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or other educational medical material.

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