Stiff Joints

While some people have extremely flexible joints, other people's joints are so stiff it is as though they are frozen. But having stiff joints can be a benign sign that you have overindulged in your favorite sport. Or it may signal the opposite, you have not been active enough. Unfortunately, stiffness may discourage people from being more physically active, which in turn can worsen the stiffness. If joint stiffness is accompanied by persistent joint pain, you can be pretty sure something is wrong.

If you are past middle age, stiff joints are most likely yet another annoying, but usually benign, sign of aging. What keeps your joints capable of moving through a full range of motion with ease and comfort is synovial fluid, which is secreted by the membranes surrounding the joints. With aging, there is less of this lubrication, and moving the joints becomes more difficult. Joint stiffness, regardless of your age, is often worse in the morning or after being inactive for long periods of time, as when sitting in a theater or on a plane. As you move about during the day, the stiffness usually dissipates.

While chronic morning stiffness can be a sign that you need a new mattress, it is also a common sign of arthritis. In fact, morning stiffness is its hallmark. If the morning stiffness lasts for less than 30 minutes, it is likely a sign of Osteoarthritis. Often called the "wear and tear" form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis also known as DEGENERATIVE  ARTHRITIS. It is the most common form of more than 100 different types of arthritis. It destroys the cushioning cartilage between the joints, which eventually causes bone to rub up against bone, leading to pain, deformity, and loss of function. While osteoarthritis can involve any joint in the body, the hips, knees, feet, and fingers are most often affected. It occurs more often in men than women before the age of 45 but is more common in women over the age 55.

If morning stiffness lasts longer than 30 minutes, it is more likely to be RHEUMATOID  ARTHRITIS, a progressive, debilitating immune disease that can affect not only the joints but other parts of the body, including the tear ducts and salivary glands, as well.

Stiff joints any time of day can signal a number of muscular, skeletal, or neurological conditions. These can include the inflammatory conditions Lupus and Sarcoidosis as well as the muscular condition Fibromyalgia.

Joint stiffness can also be a reaction to a number of drugs, including antibiotics such as minocycline, statins (used to lower cholesterol), and aromatase inhibitors (used to treat breast cancer).

The knees are the largest joints in the body.

If a painless joint hurts when you apply pressure on it, you may have osteoarthritis.

People with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.