Soaking in warm water or applying a heated compress is one of the oldest, cheapest, and safest forms of complementary therapy. Research has shown that heat treatments can loosen stiff joints and relieve achy muscles.
Range-of-motion exercises
These exercises lessen stiffness and put joints through their full range of motion. Examples of these exercises are stretching arms up high or rolling shoulders forward and backward. Most of these exercises can be done every day.
Cold will reduce swelling and heat will relax the muscles and joints. Steroids can aid in reducing swelling and inflammation that causes stiffness. Physical therapy and exercise help in improving mobility and maintaining a healthy weight, which can, in turn, reduce joint stiffness.
Many people will experience joint stiffness as they age. Most often this stiffness will wear off after a person gets up and moves around. Other people, however, may experience joint stiffness as a result of an underlying condition.
Heat therapy can help to soothe aching muscles and loosen stiff joints. It expands the blood vessels, increasing the amount of blood and oxygen that flows to an injured area. More blood flow results in a looser, less painful joint. However, people should avoid using heat therapy if they are experiencing a flare.
Walking is one of the most important things you can do if you have arthritis. It helps you lose weight or maintain the proper weight. That, in turn, lessens stress on joints and improves arthritis symptoms.
This is essentially what happens to a lesser degree while you sleep – your joints stiffen from inactivity. Arthritis in your ankles, knees, hips, and the joints in your feet can make for awkward, painful movement when you wake. As with plantar fasciitis, the key is to start slowly and warm up before getting up.
Vitamin D's anti-inflammatory properties help relieve joint pain. Vitamin D also can help manage autoimmune conditions that affect the joints, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Type 1 diabetes.
Some research has shown that people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis may benefit from magnesium in their diet or as a supplement. Since arthritis can cause inflammation, magnesium's anti-inflammatory effects might help some people with the condition.
You cannot reverse the effects of joint aging, and while certain medications can help manage arthritis pain and inflammation, stiffness can still occur. Still, you can reduce the severity and frequency of morning joint stiffness by being more active and engaging in exercise to increase muscle strength and flexibility.
As you age, joint movement becomes stiffer and less flexible because the amount of lubricating fluid inside your joints decreases and the cartilage becomes thinner. Ligaments also tend to shorten and lose some flexibility, making joints feel stiff.
Arthritis is not the only condition associated with joint stiffness. Other medical conditions can also cause joint stiffness, including bone diseases, cancer, joint trauma, or overuse of the joint.
This can be due to a hard block or to pain which prevents the individual from moving the joint. There may not be an identifiable cause without medical assessment as this can be due to wear and tear of joints over a period of time with no real injury mechanism.
Sitting for long periods of time can cause your blood flow to slow down which may lead to stiffness in your muscles.
Muscle stiffness will usually go away on its own in a few days. In chronic or recurrent cases, making simple lifestyle changes may help treat and prevent muscle stiffness. If muscle stiffness is a symptom of a more serious underlying condition, the outlook will vary depending on the cause.
Some have even tried spraying sore joints with WD-40 as they would to fix a squeaky, door hinge. But this folk remedy is not proven to work and may even be harmful. WD-40 contains petroleum distillates than can cause drying and irritation of the skin.
It can be due to reduced blood flow, tight muscles and ligaments, fluid pooled in the body's lower extremities, or pins and needles sensations in the feet.
The Four Most Common Causes of Morning Foot Pain:
Plantar Fasciitis. Achilles tendinitis. Arthritis. Hypothyroidism.
Chondroitin and glucosamine
Supplements containing these components have been found to reduce pain caused by cartilage loss, with chondroitin improving function and glucosamine improving stiffness. Talk to your doctor to determine which of these two supplements is best for you.
Magnesium contributes to flexibility and helps to prevent injury by loosening tight muscles. Without enough magnesium, muscles can't properly relax, possibly causing cramps. Low magnesium can create a buildup of lactic acid, known to cause post-workout pain and tightness.