CONDITIONS

Joint Stiffness

Many people experience stiff joints as they age. Others may experience joint stiffness due to medical conditions and lifestyle choices. Sometimes, people can treat stiff joints at home.

Many people who experience joint stiffness tend to feel it after sitting for prolonged periods or after first waking up. Some people experience a mild discomfort that goes away after moving again. Others find that the stiffness lasts longer and is more uncomfortable.

In more severe situations, stiff joints may impact a person’s mobility. People may have difficulty putting weight on their joint or have problems standing or walking. Some factors that may cause joint stiffness include:

• obesity or being overweight
• arthritis
• diet
• lupus
• bursitis

Causes

Most people will experience joint stiffness at some point. Age is a common cause of joint stiffness due primarily to a lifetime of use. When age is the primary reason for stiff joints, any number of joints may be affected.

Common causes include:

Bursitis

Resting a joint affected by bursitis may cause any stiffness or pain to pass.

Bursitis develops when tiny, fluid-filled sacs in the joints called bursae become inflamed. The inflammation causes pain as well as stiffness.

Bursitis can happen in nearly any joint, but it is most common in larger joints, such as:

• shoulders
• hips
• knees
• ankles
• elbow

It is also common in the big toe.

Bursitis usually heals by itself with rest. A person should typically:

• reduce activities that move the joint
• rest the joint for long periods

Resting the joint allows the bursae to recover, causing the pain and stiffness to go away.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative type of arthritis that affects nearly 27 million people in the United States. This type of arthritis is due to wear and tear and is, therefore, more frequently seen in people over the age of 65.

Osteoarthritis often affects:

• fingers
• hips
• knees
• back
• neck

As it progresses it can cause:

• swelling and pain
• cracking noises with movement

Rheumatoid arthritis

Share on PinterestArthritis is one of the most common causes of joint stiffness.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is another common arthritis that affects about 1.5 million  people in the U.S. RA typically appears in younger adults between the ages of 30 and 60.

RA is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack otherwise healthy joints. People with RA will experience pain and swelling as the body attacks the joints.

There is no cure for RA. Treatments focus on slowing the progression of the disease.

Lupus

Lupus is another autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue, such as muscles and joints. When lupus attacks the joints, symptoms include:

• swelling
• stiffness
• pain

Lupus is often difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms are similar to other medical conditions. There is no cure and symptoms will get worse over time.

Gout

Gout is a sudden onset arthritis that tends to affect males more often than females. Gout is a condition that develops quickly, with symptoms sometimes appearing overnight, often in the big toe.

Symptoms include:

• severe pain
• severe tenderness
• stiff joints
• swelling and increased warmth of the joint

Gout can develop in any joint. Gout will typically appear for a short period and go away. People with gout often get symptoms on and off throughout their life.