Why is my back stiff in the morning?
Why is my back stiff in the morning?
If you deal with stiffness and soreness in your body, you may have noticed that these symptoms are often at their worst first thing in the morning. For many, having extra stiffness and soreness in the morning can be caused by a number of things. If you find yourself needing an extra few minutes in the morning to warm up and get moving, this article is going to help explain some of the reasons behind this issue.
A common cause of this increased stiffness in the morning is called the ‘gel phenomenon’. This is when synovial fluid, the lubricating fluid located inside the joints, thickens after long periods of inactivity (such as sleeping). If you think of it like WD40 for a hinge that hasn’t been used in a long time, thickened synovial fluid doesn’t lubricate the joints as well as it should if the joint hasn’t been moving, so in this case it takes time for the joints to fully warm up. If the gel phenomenon is to blame for your joint stiffness in the morning, practicing mobility exercises before you get out of bed can be beneficial.
Another potential cause is inflammation. For short periods of time, inflammation is a necessary process in the body that repairs damaged cells and tissues. Long term chronic inflammation on the other hand, can be harmful - and painful - to those who suffer from it. Researchers suggest that morning inflammation may stem from lower levels of cortisol released in the body while sleeping. Cortisol is necessary to counteract elevated levels of inflammation in the body. This is likely to be more of an issue for those who have arthritis of any type. Inflammation can be managed in a number of ways, including with diet and exercise.
If you are concerned about excessive stiffness and soreness in the morning, your best bet is to talk to your doctor. They can help determine what is causing your symptoms, and therefore, the best way to treat them.
The video below shows some examples of exercises I would recommend to help warm up the joints first thing in the morning.
If the video above is not displaying, click here.
