The main causes of joint stiffness

Joint stiffness means that normal joint rotation, flexion and extension functions are restricted to varying degrees, but the function is not completely lost. For example, patients with rheumatoid arthritis have severe deformation of the metacarpophalangeal joints, joint stiffness, weakened finger flexion and extension ability, limited finger range of motion, and reduced grasping function, but the hand function is not completely lost. So what causes joint stiffness? How should it be treated?

Causes and common diseases

1. Any cause of joint adhesion is also the cause of joint stiffness

Edema, repeated injuries, passive traction, manual release, infection, foreign body stimulation, long-term plaster fixation, improper internal fixation with steel needles, internal fixation with steel plates, surgical trauma, lack of timely treatment after trauma, persistent swelling, and lack of timely exercise after fracture healing can all lead to ankylosis of the joints.

2. Joint diseases

All joints with arthritis, especially rheumatic atrophic arthritis, are most likely to become fixed and cause stiffness. Such as joint ankylosis caused by acute suppurative inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, suppurative arthritis and bone tuberculosis.

examine

1. Check the active and passive range of motion of the joints and record the degree of muscle atrophy and muscle strength.

2. X-ray examination: observe the joint space, articular surface, bone density, and the presence of osteoarthritis lesions such as bone hyperplasia.

Differential Diagnosis

Need to be differentiated from traumatic joint. Both have limited joint movement. The former has milder pain and more severe joint movement disorder, while the latter has more obvious pain, joint swelling, and milder joint dysfunction. X-ray examination: the former has normal or slightly narrow joint space, while the latter has narrow joint space, rough and uneven joint surface, increased bone density or osteoarthritis lesions such as bone hyperplasia.

Treatment principles

1. Mild patients

Local massage, physical therapy, external application of Chinese medicine, joint function exercisers and manual release can be used as therapies. Non-surgical therapies are also suitable for those with contraindications to surgery and as auxiliary treatments before and after surgery.

2. Severely ill patients

Joint adhesion lysis should be performed. For patients with malformed fracture healing, the deformity should generally be corrected first. Those with local soft tissue defects should also undergo reconstructive surgery. Active and positive joint function exercises should be started as early as possible so that stiff joints can recover their functions as soon as possible. Joint function exercises are very painful, but they are still necessary after joint adhesion lysis surgery.