Morning Stiffness in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Between 70% and 80% of RA warriors battle morning stiffness. In fact, some Rheumatologists will track severity and duration of morning stiffness as an indicator of disease activity.

If you are battling rheumatoid arthritis, you might be reminded of the impact of the disease every morning if you are troubled by morning stiffness. Morning stiffness, or a feeling of immobility in your joints right after you wake up, is one of the most common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, over 70% of RA warriors are battling morning stiffness. Although the stiffness usually loosens and goes away over time, one study showed that about 50% of RA patients reported morning stiffness that lasted over an hour. In fact, in that study, the average time of morning stiffness was 1.7 hours.

Tracking morning stiffness

Does your Rheumatologist ask you about your morning stiffness? While there are studies that show that RA patients experience morning stiffness even when in remission, other studies have found correlations between the duration and severity of morning stiffness with disease activity. Keeping track of your morning stiffness can help you and your doctor understand if your treatments are working.