Joint and muscle stiffness can be felt in any part of the body. Sometimes, but not always it can be accompanied by pain and it can have many different causes.
Feelings of stiffness can be easy to ignore, however shouldn’t be as they can be a sign that you are at increased risk of injury or pain.
The following are a few reasons why you might be feeling a little bit less flexible.
- Muscle Weakness
Muscle stiffness can be a sign of muscle weakness. The body will prioritise stability over flexibility if our muscles don’t have the ability to provide both. This means that your muscles will be a bit tighter and stiffer to compensate for a lack of strength. If you are feeling a little tight and sore, your physiotherapist can help to identify any muscles that maybe need strength targeting to help with feelings of tightness.
- Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
Many of us are familiar with post-exercise pain and stiffness. It is in fact a somewhat protective mechanism to help the body recover from a bout of increased exercise intensity. This kind of stiffness will be present in muscles that have been used recently and usually lasts goes away on its own after a day or two. Although it can be quite uncomfortable, it is usually nothing to be too concerned about. Your physiotherapist can help you with tips to avoid DOMS in your regular workouts.
- Lack of movement
Along with muscle weakness, inactivity can lead to joint stiffness. Joints need to move through their full range regularly to maintain their flexibility, as anyone who has kept their joints still in a cast will know. Reduced movement can also lead to a decrease in blood flow and nutrients to the muscles of the body, further impacting joint health. Your physiotherapists can help you to identify any joints that are not moving well and advise you on how to restore joint flexibility. Activities such as Pilates aim to help you move all of your joints through their full range safely whilst maintaining flexibility.
- Arthritis
Stiffness is the hallmark of arthritis, often noticeable as increased joint stiffness on waking that progresses gradually over time. Pain and stiffness caused by arthritis can often be helped by a targeted muscle strengthening program to help support the joints.
Speak to your physio about any tightness or inflexibility and see how they can help you feel your best.