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My feet, legs, and joints are stiff in the morning why?

By February 14, 2009 - 7:11am
 
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Wow I am having nearly the same condition. My feet, legs, and knees hurt all the time. But it is worse in the morning, and I am stiff as a board when I get out of bed. It does gradually get better throughout the day. I am 5'6 160lbs. But it always still hurts, when I sit or stand in one position for more than 15minutes it gets worse. My muscles tighten, they become stiff. I can't walk down stairs (I can go up, my knees just make creeking sounds). This all started last May, when my right knee swelled up really big (no injury) then fluid traveled all over in my leg, mostly the way gravity took it, to my ankle. I had no insurance at then time, so I had some crutches at home from my Grandfather, I used those because I couldn't walk. It took a week or do for the swelling to go away. I was scheduled to be out of country in July for a month visiting family, so I went even with my leg bothering me (I could walk again at this point). I was there two weeks and got Shingles, I flew home with it and got trated for it. I still can't walk well, and all of my "old" injuries hurt too, like my pinky finger I broke in 4th grade. I strech still daily, and exercise even though it is extremely painful. It hurts so bad I developed a jaw clinching thing I do it constantly, that hurts too (but not nearly as bad). Any ideas of what the heck is going on with my body? Oh I forgot to mention I went to an orthopedic surgeon, and he told me to lose some weight, he sent me for an xray of my right leg, since that is where it all started, and I haven't been back. The xray was negative.

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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I felt like was reading my own story. My exact symptoms were from Lyme Disease. In one of my many visits to a Doctor, he suggested I test for it. Sure enough, I had it. It's something I will spend the rest of my life trying to manage. But there are many many people out their with a lot of advise and direction.

December 28, 2016 - 5:19am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Culprit could be Diet Coke. I was waking up with stiff and locked/bent knees in the a.m. I could only sloooowly straighten them before getting out of bed. This lasted for a great length of time until I realized it was all the happy hours we were attending while snow birds in Florida and drinking Captain and Diet Coke. I experimented and it happened again only having 2 drinks! Look up the horrible side effects of Diet soda. FYI.... I am a health nut but also indulge like any human does, 51 yrs, thin, very aware of my body, take all kinds of supplements and drink water, etc. Nothing took it away -- Vitamins, Yoga, Water, Minerals..... DIET POP!!

June 4, 2016 - 8:02pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

I have all that creakiness and pain, but I've begun my day with a 16-oz Diet Coke every day since 1971. It must be something else.

April 17, 2018 - 6:42am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

I agree that diet coke could be the problem. i had the stiff legs and pain stopped the asparrtame and went away...started back on the diet cokes and my stiffness and pain came back. Today im off them again.

October 20, 2016 - 9:30am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hi,I see that I am very very late joining this conversation but I'd like to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed the advice and stories I've read so far,and they have given me new hope that I too will be able to find the source of my problems and live a normal life again.My names Dana,I'm 39 yrs old.I have been having these same symptoms as described by all of you.in the morning I HURT so bad I can hardly move. My sleep is disturbed nightly having to turn from side to side from the pain being so bad.I have had uterine cancer resulting in a partial hysterectomy after having my youngest son that's now 7.I am bipolar, with PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder, I got burned in a house fire while sleeping resulting in 7th degree burns on my legs both upper and lower and both feet and since have had circulatory problems or shall I say lack of circulation and my legs and feet hurt almost all the time.recently though I have been havign more pain than usual and bad headaches that nothing seems to relieve.my nearsightedness has also gotten strange THOU the prescription hasn't changed I cannot focus when reading and my neck and spine seen to burn a lot more.I have degenerative spine diseas and I have broken my t12 and L1 vertabrae in two separate car wrecks.I also have seizures, and lately my pain all over my entire body has grown almost unbearable but especially in the mornings..I have been on methadone for four years now and taking one a day isn't working for me anymore where I used to be pretty much pain free the entire day w taking one .I also have noticed my hands are very swollen and I also within the past month my elbows have gotten very tender like when I prop myself up on them,I cannot stand to do this anymore. My right shoulder has started popping and when I attempt to remove my bra or to lift it to pull my shirt on or off it is impossible ,I can't raise it up very far .I have also noticed that my back near where my kidneys are are hurting a lot lately and my urine smells really strong, which could very well be from my lack of consuming water.I simply cannot stand the taste of it,but if I start drinking it find I cannot stop until I feel I've gotten water poisoning from drinking too much but it's like my body is calling out for it and I know this isn't healthy and do try to drink it when I can .My entire family works in the medical profession so I do know a few things and am not totally uneducated on the human anatomy and what is and isn't good for me.I am just scrared I think more than anything at what it could really be.I have been through so much already and I don't have any insurance as it is..ID just like to thank all of you for the stories you share and to say that after reading thes I am going to schedule me an appointment to find out what is causing me all these problems and I wish all of you the best of luck in finding out and treating your conditions. Thanks for letting me share and for being an inspiration to me.I feel so much better knowing that I am not alone in this. God bless you all.

February 22, 2016 - 8:51am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

Hosh i feel like the laxy ssid u told my story ive hsd back surgery . but ly legs n feel been swelling yo but they hurt my bones joints muscles so bad i literally cry out to get up it hurts so badly .
N im tired of it if u have found any suggestions that help let me no. Im going to try stret hing . but i cant even walk into a store for very long my back hurts so bad so walkings not good for me. Thank u for sharing im glad im not alone

June 16, 2017 - 9:28pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I just turned 30 in Aug I am over weight but very active daily as I have a 1 yr old two 2 yr olds and a 3 year old every morning when i get out of bed my legs and feet are so sore and stiff I can barely walk but it soon wears off until I sit for a short period of time same thing after i get up and every night when I go to bed I have severe pain in my legs and knees I find myself stretching them out and moving them all about trying to get the pain to stop it keeps me awake and wakes me up after I finally get to sleep any suggestions

October 23, 2015 - 1:17am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

Do you have pain in your lower back? Were you ever diagnosed? I had these same symptoms, they kept saying sciatica , but it actually was sacroiliac dysfunction pull it up ? Read the symptoms if this is what you have make them listen it took me over a year ,multiple hospitals and doctors finally one listened did the catscan was diagnosed sent to a spine doctor and given shots in sacroiliac. Cortisone steroid , now I'm able to walk. Although I do have aches at the end if the day I. My lower legs from walking around on my normal daily routine. Hope this helps

September 29, 2016 - 2:22am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Maybe you should take a break from exercise and stretching until your body normalizes. You can get aches and pains from exercise and feel stiff when you wake up. Then after you feel normal again i would recommend moving your body through your full range of motion. That means for example pulling your shoulders back and then lifting your arms to the side keeping your elbows back. And stand bending over so your chest touches your thighs with your legs bent and then straightening your quads so you feel a stretch in your hamstrings and a burn in your quadriceps. That means your strengthening your quads and shoulders in those positions, and gaining a greater range of motion. Perhaps your sciatic nerve is tight due to over exercise. If you're weak then you will feel a burn and that means you are working the muscle. A lack of strength/flexibility can create stiffness. Keep doing this throughout the day. What i think is causing the problem is some nerve in your body is stiff that is giving you the sensations you are experiencing. Before some chronic disease, It's usually always nerves not functioning as they should due to overuse/underuse of some range of motion, scar tissue, weakness, etc.. You improve it by getting enough rest and opening up your range of motion. This makes your muscles feel super relaxed and good, and improves your well-being. Hope you solve the problem. Best wishes

June 30, 2015 - 12:47am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I was diagnosed with Rhematoid Arthritis in 1991 with these symptoms. See a Rheumatologist to get pain free and physically active again.

May 19, 2015 - 10:53pm
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