Why do joints become stiff
October 22nd 2025
While pain and stiffness often go together, you may have noticed a few stiff joints that are not painful. Joint stiffness can limit your ability to perform usual tasks and can be a warning sign that part of the body is vulnerable to future injury. There are many different causes of joint stiffness, and treatment of each type requires accurate assessment and diagnosis from a health professional. Here are a few of the most common causes of joint stiffness.
Disuse and lack of movement
When we are not regularly moving our joints through their full range, they can begin to feel ‘tight’ . This can be caused by a combination of the capsule that surrounds the jointtightening up and the muscles that surround the joint shortening and losing flexibility. The easiest way to maintain full flexibility is to regularly move joints through their full range. This also helps to keep muscles and joints healthy.
Osteoarthritis (OA)
OA is a degenerative disease characterised by a breakdown of the joint surface cartilage and the growth of bony osteophytes around areas of stress. While OA is increasingly common as we age, it is thought that the primary cause is abnormal load and stress on joint surfaces, not simply ageing itself. As the joint space between two joint surfaces becomes uneven, joints affected by OA can feel stiff or even ‘blocked’. A person with OA will usually feel stiff for around 15–20 minutes after long periods of rest. Physiotherapy programs designed to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints, and thereby help absorb weight-bearing forces, have been shown to have positive results on OA symptoms.
Inflammatory Related Stiffness
The inflammatory process causes swelling and pain around a specific area. As an area swells, there is less space for movement and a resulting sensation of stiffness — as anyone who has sprained an ankle can attest to. Autoimmune disorders can cause the body to mistakenly mount an inflammatory reaction where there has been no injury, resulting in pain and stiffness for long periods of time.
Treatment of any joint stiffness requires thorough assessment by a physiotherapist to identify the root cause of reduced flexibility.
Speak to your physiotherapist if you’re noticing reduced movement in your joints.
Disuse and lack of movement
When we are not regularly moving our joints through their full range, they can begin to feel ‘tight’ . This can be caused by a combination of the capsule that surrounds the jointtightening up and the muscles that surround the joint shortening and losing flexibility. The easiest way to maintain full flexibility is to regularly move joints through their full range. This also helps to keep muscles and joints healthy.
Osteoarthritis (OA)
OA is a degenerative disease characterised by a breakdown of the joint surface cartilage and the growth of bony osteophytes around areas of stress. While OA is increasingly common as we age, it is thought that the primary cause is abnormal load and stress on joint surfaces, not simply ageing itself. As the joint space between two joint surfaces becomes uneven, joints affected by OA can feel stiff or even ‘blocked’. A person with OA will usually feel stiff for around 15–20 minutes after long periods of rest. Physiotherapy programs designed to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints, and thereby help absorb weight-bearing forces, have been shown to have positive results on OA symptoms.
Inflammatory Related Stiffness
The inflammatory process causes swelling and pain around a specific area. As an area swells, there is less space for movement and a resulting sensation of stiffness — as anyone who has sprained an ankle can attest to. Autoimmune disorders can cause the body to mistakenly mount an inflammatory reaction where there has been no injury, resulting in pain and stiffness for long periods of time.
Treatment of any joint stiffness requires thorough assessment by a physiotherapist to identify the root cause of reduced flexibility.
Speak to your physiotherapist if you’re noticing reduced movement in your joints.
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