Are you dealing with Morning Stiffness?
Do you ever wake up and find it hard to get out of bed? You are hunched over and feel various aches, and your gait could easily be mistaken for Tim Conway’s old man shuffle (you’ll have to be near my age and a Carol Burnett Show fan to get this reference).
This has been my experience for the last few weeks, and once I’m out of bed, it takes me about 5 minutes until I can walk with my usual posture.
We should always be curious about what is happening with our bodies, especially when there is a change like this. There are many reasons for morning stiffness; old mattress, poor sleep, overdoing it with hiking, gardening, and aging. Numerous health conditions could be the cause, especially if you are experiencing morning stiffness consistently.
Unfortunately, osteoarthritis (OA) is a given as we age and can cause morning stiffness. The cartilage that cushions your joints starts to dry out, and your joints make less of the synovial fluid that adds lubrication, causing you to feel stiff and sore. This is often called “morning gel” because your joints stiffen like gelatin when you're inactive for several hours. Regular stretching and yoga help with this type of stiffness significantly. Morning stiffness can also be a warning sign of inflammatory types of arthritis such as:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the lining of your joints.
Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) - an autoimmune disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack healthy tissue. It affects skin and joints, and if untreated, the inflammation can damage joints and tissues.
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) - a rare type of arthritis that causes pain and stiffness in your spine. It’s a lifelong condition that usually starts in your lower back. It can also spread up to your neck and damage joints in other body parts.
All of these conditions cause inflammation which contributes to stiffness. Thyroid Disease, Vitamin D Deficiency and Fibromyalgia can also cause morning stiffness.
If you can connect your stiffness to overactivity and it goes away after a couple of days, you shouldn’t need to worry. If you consistently have stiffness for over three days, you should see your Family Doctor and have several tests to determine the cause and devise a treatment plan. If the stiffness lasts more than 5-10 minutes, it can be a clue that you might be dealing with something more severe than OA.
Suppose the cause is OA or one of the other above-listed conditions. In that case, in addition to seeing your Family Doctor, you should meet with a Holistic Nutritionist or Naturopath to determine if your diet or other lifestyle factors are contributing to your symptoms. A Physiotherapist can create a specific home exercise routine. Remaining active, staying hydrated, practicing yoga, eating well and taking certain supplements will help.
I’m not sure why I’m suddenly experiencing morning stiffness. I have mild OA in both hips, and my hip flexors and right sacroiliac joint act up sometimes, so my OA might be getting worse, or maybe my body is reacting to the longer walks I’m taking with Peggy.
I have my annual physical in a week and will speak to my Family Doctor about my symptoms. I also plan on seeing my Naturopath and will ask her to review my diet and supplements.
In the meantime, I’ve started doing some early morning stretches and yoga while still in bed, which I usually wouldn't do until much later in the day. It’s only been three days, and I’m already noticing a difference.
After my alarm goes off I:
Drink a large glass of water that’s on the night table.
Give my body a full stretch (while on my back) with straight legs and arms over my head.
Stretch legs -straight leg hamstring stretch, knee to chest and bent knee hip flexor stretch.
Perform a few rounds of cat/cow stretches.
Sit crossed-legged and do a variety of upper body stretches depending on how I feel.
This routine only takes five minutes. Make up your own routine that focuses on areas of stiffness and discomfort. This is a fabulous way to start your day!
Be well and keep moving.
Anita
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