The most common causes of joint pain and stiffness include injury, overuse, arthritis, and inflammation of the tissues of the joint. Injury to the joint, whether inflicted upon the bones, ligaments, or surrounding muscles, can cause pain for a variety of reasons, and stiffness usually results from muscle or ligament tightness or tearing. Overusing the joint can cause joint pain and stiffness due to lactic acid build-up in the muscles. Arthritis is a degenerative condition that causes bone spurs due to ligament attrition; in some cases, arthritis can cause unbearable joint pain and stiffness that must be treated with medication.
Inflammation can cause joint pain and stiffness that becomes debilitating after a certain amount of time. The joint may become inflamed to stave off an infection, though sometimes the inflammation never subsides fully. This is common in women, especially in women with a diet rich in refined carbohydrates and lacking in fatty acids. The body's metabolism is affected by high carbohydrates, and tissue regeneration is often neglected by the body. This allows inflammation to remain constant, if only at a low level. The tissues of the joint then begin to degrade, which can eventually lead to conditions such as arthritis.
Many different types of arthritis exist, but the general idea behind the condition is a degeneration of tissue within the joints. This can lead to joint pain and stiffness for a variety of reasons: inflammation is much more likely in arthritic joints, and if tissues degrade enough, the bones of the joint may be allowed to rub against each other. As the bones wear, bone spurs may develop. These sharp sections of bone can cause nerve pain as well as muscular pain. Arthritis becomes more common as the body ages, and in many cases, a combination of medication and physical therapy is enough to relieve much of the pain.
Direct trauma against a joint can also cause joint pain and stiffness. A direct trauma may cause a fracture or break in the bone, which is a serious condition that should be treated by a doctor. Less serious conditions include muscle strains and tears; when a muscle stretches beyond its normal limits, small muscle fibers may tear, causing soreness, tenderness, pain, and weakness. A full muscle tear will result in two ends of a muscle completely disconnecting from each other, and this condition often requires surgery. A muscle strain should be rested and iced, and when the pain subsides, light stretching and exercise can help rebuild the muscle and encourage mobility.