Joint stiffness 2874041 185623423 2008-01-20T11:19:42Z 121.44.42.5 {{DiseaseDisorder infobox | Name = Joint stiffness | ICD10 = M25.6 | ICD9 = {{ICD9|719.5}} | }} '''Joint stiffness''' may be either the [[symptom]] of pain on moving a joint, the [[symptom]] of loss of range of motion or the [[Sign (medicine)|physical sign]] of reduced range of motion. Doctors prefer the latter two uses but patients often use the first meaning.<br> * '''Pain on movement''' is commonly caused by [[Osteoarthritis]], often in quite minor degrees, and other forms of arthritis. It may also be caused by injury or overuse and rarely by more complex causes of pain such as infection or neoplasm. The range of motion may be normal or limited by pain. "Morning Stiffness", pain which eases up after the joint has been used, is characteristic of Rheumatoid Arthritis. * '''Loss of motion''' ([[symptom]]): the patient notices that the joint (or many joints) do not move as far as they used to or need to. Loss of motion is a feature of more advanced stages of arthritis including [[Osteoarthritis]], [[Rheumatoid arthritis]] and [[Ankylosing spondylitis]]. * '''Loss of range of motion''' ([[Sign (medicine)|sign]]): the examining medical professional notes that the range of motion of the joint is less than normal. Routine examination by an [[Orthopedic surgery|orthopaedic]] surgeon or [[rheumatologist]] will often pay particular attention to this. The range of motion may be measured and compared to the other side and to normal ranges. This sign is associated with the same causes as the symptom. In extreme cases when the joint does not move at all it is said to be [[ankylosis|ankylosed]]. [[Category:Diseases]] {{disease-stub}}