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Morning stiffness: why does half an hour matter so much?
Plenty of people have stiff joints in the morning. What matters is not the stiffness itself but how long it lasts. Half an hour is the deciding threshold.
What is morning stiffness?
It is the sense that a joint is locked and rigid when you get up, and hard to move.
When a joint stays still for several hours, the fluid and soft tissue inside it change. As you start moving, that state gradually eases.
How long the easing takes tells us something about the cause.
The half-hour rule
Stiffness shorter than half an hour is more often linked to joint wear — osteoarthritis. It usually eases within minutes.
Stiffness longer than half an hour, repeating every morning, should be assessed for inflammatory disease.
In rheumatoid arthritis the stiffness often lasts more than an hour and makes using the hands genuinely difficult.
What else to look for
- The same fingers are swollen on both hands
- The joint is tender and warm to touch
- The complaint has lasted weeks
- There is fatigue, loss of appetite or a mild fever
When several of these appear together, the examination should not be delayed. Treatment started early protects the joint better.
What to bring to the appointment
For a few days, note how long the morning stiffness lasts. The difference between "about ten minutes" and "more than an hour" tells the doctor a great deal.
Bring the tests and images you already have as well.
Last updated: 3 September 2026
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