Joint stiffness: causes, symptoms and treatment

Morning joint stiffness is a characteristic symptom indicating pathological changes in connective and bone tissue. The reasons that provoke this condition can be different:

Inflammation;
Degeneration;
Dystrophy;
Injury;
Deformation.

Morning stiffness of the joints in the morning can have either a periodic (transient) or a regular (constantly present) nature of the course of this pathology. In the first case, this is directly related to periods of exacerbation of the musculoskeletal system disease, in the second, these factors may be independent. Therefore, the constant presence of stiffness and pain in the joints indicates a systemic disease (gout, uric acid diathesis, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid polyarthritis).

When a patient begins to complain of morning joint stiffness, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination and identify the real cause of these unpleasant sensations. The Yusupov Hospital helps everyone who wants to get rid of joint stiffness, discomfort and pain, using the latest European treatment methods. The clinic employs doctors of the highest category who are constantly improving in their field of activity. Yusupov Hospital is proud not only of its first-class medical staff, but also of high-precision diagnostic equipment.

How does joint stiffness occur?

The elasticity of articular elements is provided by collagen. This is a protein compound produced by fibroblasts - special connective tissue cells. Insufficient collagen synthesis leads to loss of physiological sliding of the articular head in the joint capsule.

The most common causes of joint stiffness are:

active growth of bones, ligaments, tendons in childhood and adolescence;
dehydration of the cartilage covering the articular heads of bones;
muscle spasms that appear against the background of a sedentary lifestyle;
diseases affecting the joints;
inflammation of bone and cartilage tissue;
physical exercise.

We must not forget that any stressful situations or psycho-emotional stress can cause pain and affect joint mobility. If the pathological condition is based on nervous symptoms, painkillers do not affect the patient. The problem should be solved by adjusting the regimen and taking sedatives.

Stiffness in the joints of the fingers

Restrictions in finger mobility appear as a result of progressive arthritis, a chronic inflammatory process. The causes of stiff finger joints are:

age-related processes associated with hormonal changes, slowing metabolism, menopausal processes;
injuries;
professional conditions: sewing, working with small parts, machines;
hereditary predisposition;
immune disorder;
diabetes mellitus, gout;
systemic pathologies: rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus;
psoriasis.

The first symptoms of the disease do not cause concern in a person, since they are not accompanied by painful sensations. Morning stiffness is replaced by constant moderate pain. Over time, the joints become deformed and contractures form.

Morning stiffness in the legs

In approximately 75% of cases, stiffness in joint movements affects the lower extremities. When it comes to morning stiffness in the legs, we should also mention neurological processes associated with impaired conduction of the sciatic nerve. A secondary set of symptoms, one of the main components of which is stiffness of the leg joints, manifests itself against the background of the presence of pain in the lumbosacral spine. This condition may be accompanied by the following clinical manifestations:

decreased skin sensitivity in the thigh, buttock or calf area (hypoesthesia);
sensations of cutting or severe burning along the sciatic nerve (hyperesthesia);
change in gait due to intense pain;
reduction in the volume of the thigh and lower leg muscles (hypotrophy).

Symptoms of impaired innervation in the abdominal cavity and pelvis may also occur. This can lead to a lack of urination and bowel movements.

The appearance of morning stiffness of the knee joint almost always signals the formation of deforming osteoarthritis in the early stages.

Stiffness in the hip joint occurs for a similar reason as stiffness in the knee joint. The pathogenesis of these diseases lies in the destruction of the synovial cartilaginous membrane in the cavity of this bone joint. Slowly, step by step, the height of the joint space decreases. Thanks to timely diagnosis, in the first and second stages of the pathological process, conservative and manual therapy can still be effective. But already at the third stage, full treatment is possible only with the help of endoprosthetics surgery.

Morning ankle stiffness may be the result of an injury. For example, with regular sprains of the ankle joint, scar changes in the connective tissue are formed. As a result, this significantly limits the range of motion of the joint as a whole. The most severe stiffness is felt in the morning hours. In most cases, this pathology requires completion of a rehabilitation program after injury. If this is not done, a contracture will soon form. In addition, with a strong traumatic impact, rupture of the ankle ligaments can occur.

Knee stiffness

Pathological changes in the knee joints cause discomfort during walking, incomplete extension or flexion of the knee. Any movement causes pain.

Stiffness in the knees appears as a consequence or symptom of various diseases:

purulent-inflammatory lesions of joints;
degenerative and dystrophic processes;
burns;
congenital weakness of muscles and ligaments;
suffered meniscus injuries, dislocations, fractures;
Bekhterev's disease, psoriasis;
diabetes mellitus

People who are overweight and athletes who experience intense physical activity are prone to the formation of contractures.

Stiffness in the knee joints develops gradually and is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms that are constantly getting worse.

Causes

Since stiffness is only a single manifestation, its causes lie in a variety of pathologies. The hyaline cartilage, epiphyses, membrane and joint capsule may be healthy, but the ligamentous apparatus and nearby muscles work abnormally, usually when nerve impulse transmission is disrupted.

This is the case with ankylosing spondylitis or stroke (impaired blood supply to the brain of an ischemic or hemorrhagic nature). The transmission of nerve impulses in the muscles associated with the joint changes pathologically, which is why stiffness of movement is formed.

The so-called false stiffness occurs with severe obesity. The reduction in range of motion in very obese people is explained by general physical inactivity and muscle atrophy. Painful changes in the joints do not play a role here.

Stiffness is caused by injuries, heavy physical activity, or surgery.

But more often, stiffness is the result of joint pathology, usually of an inflammatory nature. These include arthritis:

rheumatic;
infectious;
gouty;
psoriatic;
ankylosing spondylitis (inflammation of the vertebral joints);
arthritis of an allergic nature.

Each of these pathologies causes restriction of movements in the joints: large (knee, elbow, ankle) and small (fingers). There are other symptoms characteristic of the presence of an inflammatory process:

swelling;
redness of the surrounding skin;
pain syndrome;
change in joint shape;
decreased sensitivity of the skin due to innervation disorders.

Each pathology has its own combination of symptoms:

abnormalities in urine and blood tests,
violations of the shape and structure of articular components.

All this is revealed through additional instrumental diagnostics. Nosologies of another group are accompanied by inflammation or injury only at first. Such as, for example, osteoarthritis or simply arthrosis (degenerative changes in joints). They affect the joints of the limbs.

The inflammatory process that develops at the beginning becomes a trigger for the degeneration (destruction) of joint components. From slight stiffness to almost complete immobility in the joint - this is how the degeneration process proceeds.

It is obvious that starting treatment for morning joint stiffness in isolation is pointless

It is necessary to treat a disease whose complex of manifestations includes stiffness. Having diagnosed a specific pathology, the doctor begins treatment, the regimen of which is selected individually for each patient.

Rheumatoid arthritis

The most common pathology affects the joints in almost 2% of people. It often becomes the reason for the middle-aged population, as well as young people, to become disabled. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the main area of connective tissue synovium. Several joints are affected at once, mostly small ones, such as fingers.

A destructive-erosive process develops in these joints. Gradually, the middle (ankle) and then the large joints (knee, hip joints) are destroyed. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This is an inadequate reaction of the immune system to the tissues of its own body.

As a result of immune activation, antibodies are produced against cartilage (connective) tissue. They trigger and maintain inflammation in the synovium. It is destroyed and replaced by a coarse fibrous structure. The function of the joint capsule suffers, which loses its elasticity and smoothness, becomes rough and interferes with movements.

The synthesis of joint fluid also decreases. Its deficiency impairs the nutrition of cartilage. Its destruction begins. This is why in the morning the patient cannot fully straighten his fingers. And then the arms in the elbow joints or the legs in the knees. Stiffness is perceived as a feeling of tightness that does not allow free movement.

After some time, ease and freedom return to movement, but other symptoms persist:

Causes of leg cramps at night

swelling of the joint circumference;
hyperemia of the skin covering the joint;
joints are affected on both sides (both elbows, both knees);
the pain is especially pronounced in the evening and at night;
an increase in pain occurs when trying to make a movement in a joint or when pressing on it;
subcutaneous nodules that are dense to the touch are formed, located in the natural folds of the body (due to the total involvement of connective tissue);
there are signs of intoxication (malaise, loss of appetite, weight loss, headaches);
the shape of the joint changes (fingers become bent).

Treatment aimed at combating the pathology will help get rid of stiffness in the morning, which is a symptom of this systemic disease.

Therapy for rheumatoid arthritis should continue throughout life, as with any autoimmune pathology.

The goal is to prevent exacerbations and maintain remission. The frequency and severity of relapses are reduced by prescribing potent drugs. These include basic drugs, or cytostatics (Azathioprine, Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen series, etc.), adrenal hormones (Prednisolone, Dexamethasone) and modified antibodies (Orencia, Humira).

Infectious arthritis

It is clear from the name that the pathology is caused by infectious agents. They are:

pathogenic viruses,
bacteria,
mushrooms.

Pathogens enter the joint from the external environment (in case of injury) or through blood vessels. The symptoms of the disease are usually striking; the pathology begins acutely and progresses rapidly. The human body responds to the invasion of pathogenic microbes by developing intoxication.

Consequently, typical symptoms and complaints of patients arise:

stiffness is accompanied by significant pain, which increases when feeling the joint or due to movement;
the process is not symmetrical;
the joint is swollen, the skin covering it is hot and red to the touch;
the patient is forced to hold the injured limb in a position that reduces pain;
severe intoxication is observed: temperature up to 39–40°, general weakness, malaise, severe headache.

The main direction in the treatment of the disease is drugs. These are antibiotics or antiviral, antimycotic and antiparasitic agents. Before starting antibiotic therapy, the sensitivity of the cultured pathogens to them is determined. Non-drug treatment comes down to immobilizing the limb in various ways, washing the joint cavity, and combating intoxication.

The majority of patients who receive complex therapy in a timely manner get rid of all symptoms of infectious joint damage forever

Ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease)

The pathology affects small joints connecting the vertebral processes and bodies. In some cases, pathology develops in the knee, hip and other large joints. The first to be affected is the articular membrane: a chronic inflammatory process forms in it.

Nodules of fibrous tissue are formed, then bone growths. Because of all this, the condition of the joints deteriorates greatly. The spine or limbs cannot move to a physiological extent. The disease manifests itself in various forms, often no different from other joint diseases.

The symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis depend on gender and age. Women get sick at an older age than the stronger sex, and the process progresses at a slower rate. The main signs of ankylosing spondylitis:

a feeling of stiffness and pain (in the mornings and throughout the day) in the joints of the spine and limbs;
painful sensations are felt in a wide front;
reduction in range of motion;
a sharp rise in ESR (up to 50–60 mm/h) in a general blood test (an indicator of the presence of an inflammatory process).

It is impossible to get rid of ankylosing spondylitis, as well as arthritis of a rheumatoid nature, forever at this level of medical development. However, it is possible to greatly slow down the course of the disease. For this purpose, basic drugs are prescribed: glucocorticosteroid hormones, NSAIDs, immunosuppressants. Non-drug therapy includes exercise therapy (physical therapy), massage sessions, and physiotherapeutic procedures.

Other diseases

Arthritis developing against the background of gout. Violation of purine metabolism (namely, uric acid) causes a disease such as gout. Crystals of salts of this acid fall out and accumulate in the kidney parenchyma, as well as in the synovial membranes. The joint reacts to salt deposits with inflammation. Arthritis begins.

Characteristic symptoms of such a lesion are stiffness and pain, redness and swelling, limitation of movements, and intoxication. Treatment includes medications, physiotherapy, and, in addition, it is necessary to adhere to a strict diet with the exception of purines.

Systemic arthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis, is based on autoaggression of the immune system. The tendency to develop these diseases is inherited. In addition to stiffness and pain, there is a characteristic rash on the skin overlying the affected joint.

Therapy for the disease is long-term and is aimed at reducing relapses. The complex of treatment measures includes physiotherapy, exercise therapy and medications (hormones, immunomodulators, NSAIDs).

If the pathology develops in a child, it is called Still's disease, otherwise known as systemic juvenile arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis is often considered a type of rheumatoid arthritis. The diseases are similar in clinical symptoms. The process is symmetrical and spreads to small joints, causing their deformation. Psoriatic lesions develop gradually, move from the skin to the joints and bones and result in arthropathy. Therapy includes following a diet, prescribing local procedures and medications.

Allergic arthritis develops in individuals with a tendency to develop allergies. Usually this is a reaction to food components, sometimes to pollen. This arthritis is based on an immune mechanism - the use of drugs that affect the state of the immune system can effectively suppress all symptoms (stiffness, redness, pain, swelling). Antihistamines, glucocorticoids, and cell membrane stabilizers are prescribed.

Restricted mobility of the hip joints

The hip joints are the most powerful joints that are quite resistant to any impact. They act as an integral system. Stiffness of the hip joints appears due to a number of external and internal factors:

mechanical injuries - fractures, bruises, dislocations;
bursitis, accompanied by excessive production of synovial fluid, pain even at rest;
inflammation of the tendons - tenditis, typical for athletes;
arthritis of various origins - rheumatic, gouty, rheumatoid, tuberculous;
intra-articular purulent infections;
coxarthrosis.

All of these conditions require rapid diagnosis and adequate treatment. Elimination of unpleasant symptoms is carried out with medication or surgery.

Stiffness of the hip joints is observed in infants and appears mainly against the background of infectious diseases - mumps, rubella, meningitis, chickenpox, measles, ARVI. An inflammatory process develops in the joint, the most severe complication of which is pyogenic coxitis. Ignoring symptoms and improper treatment can lead to the death of a child.

Restriction in the hip joints of children may appear as a negative consequence of vaccination. In this case, antiallergic drugs come to the rescue. In any case, if there is an increase in temperature and pain in the leg, you should immediately consult a doctor.

It's hard to take the first step in the morning

Symptoms of difficulty moving in the morning, after prolonged low mobility during sleep, can be explained differently by people. However, many patients describe their condition as a “stiffness” of the legs and arms, a feeling as if stockings were restricting movement on the legs.

As soon as you move a little, walk around, this condition disappears. Medical science claims that the severity and duration of this symptom depends on the degree of inflammation in the joints.

There are several variants of morning stiffness: in one joint, in several joints at the same time, and sometimes such conditions begin to appear in the spine.

Ankle stiffness

About 50% of all patients with joint contractures turn to traumatologists for ankle joint stiffness. Changes in the functions of the ankle joints lead not only to limitation of motor activity. Against the background of contracture, destruction of the spine, changes in the shape of a healthy limb, flat feet, and atrophy of the lower leg muscles develop.

The most common causes of ankle stiffness are:

physical exercise;
sprains;
tendon injuries;
wearing a plaster cast;
damage to nerve fibers;
deforming arthritis;
degenerative diseases.

It is important to remember that independent physical impact on the damaged ankle joint is unacceptable. Only a doctor should provide assistance to a patient.

Shoulder stiffness

In the shoulder joint, stiffness is manifested by severe pain and a sharp limitation of motor activity. Contracture of the shoulder joints is classified depending on the underlying cause of the pathology:

adhesive capsulitis;
postoperative stiffness;
post-traumatic contracture.

Post-traumatic stiffness is caused by fractures, dislocations, ruptures of the joint capsule and tendons. Fractures always entail erosion of bone tissue and subsequent limitations.

Adhesive capsulitis forms against the background of inflammatory processes. The disease often becomes chronic and leads to the formation of fibrous scar changes.

During operations on the upper limb girdle with the installation of metal structures, the limb is preserved, but the appearance of contracture is inevitable. Stiffness in the shoulder joint appears in women after a mastectomy.

Operating technique and the scale of intervention affect the functioning of the ligamentous apparatus, the level of skin sensitivity, and the innervation of the upper limb.

Morning joint stiffness: treatment

Of course, morning stiffness in the joints and pain is an absolute reason to seek professional medical help and conduct a more thorough examination and clarify the diagnosis. After all, it is undoubtedly important to understand what causes such symptoms.

Specialists at the Yusupov Hospital always explain to patients that morning stiffness in the joints is just a symptom, and not an independent nosological entity. Therefore, treatment of stiffness alone is symptomatic and does not guarantee a positive result.

In the therapy clinic of the Yusupov Hospital, each patient will be able to receive a consultation from an experienced doctor of the highest category absolutely free of charge. During your appointment, a diagnosis will be made and a course of therapy will be prescribed.

Proper and well-chosen treatment for joint stiffness will allow you to regain freedom of movement. The therapeutic department of the Yusupov Hospital uses massage, physical therapy, kinesitherapy, reflexology and other modern methods of treating various diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. The course of treatment is developed strictly individually, depending on the disease that will be diagnosed in the patient.

You can get all the information regarding your individual case of pain and joint stiffness by calling the number listed on the website.

Stiffness of the jaw joints after dislocation

The temporomandibular joint is susceptible to dislocation due to rough mechanical impacts on the lower jaw. In some cases, unpleasant consequences lead to:

yawn;
scream;
vomit;
laughter;
tooth extraction;
taking dental impressions;
gastroscopy;
bronchoscopy;
intubation;
bad habits of chewing hard food with teeth, tearing packaging or opening bottles
falling on the chin;
direct blows to the lower jaw or temporal joint.

Stiffness of the jaw joints is observed with osteomyelitis, arthritis, and malocclusion. The condition is accompanied by increased salivation, impaired swallowing, changes in facial symmetry, and tension in the masticatory muscles.

Treatment of joint stiffness

When joint stiffness is diagnosed, treatment for the disease depends on the cause that caused the contracture. In the acute stages of inflammation, immobilization and drug therapy (anti-inflammatory, painkillers) are used. In the future, to restore the tone of weakened muscles, the following are indicated:

physiotherapeutic procedures;
massotherapy;
gymnastics with an individually selected set of exercises;
mechanotherapy.

If necessary or if conservative treatment is ineffective, surgery may be offered.