Stiffness

Patients who awaken early in the morning with an unusual stiffness are likely to be suffering from an inflammatory disease like tuberculosis or ankylosing spondylitis. If this type of pain is occurring, there could be a more serious problem, and a physician should rule out metastasis to the spine and severe psychological problems.

Tightness

Tightness in the back, neck, arms and legs is most often due to changes in the muscles. More than 80% of neck and back problems are a result of tight, achy muscles brought on by years of bad posture. Additionally, joint stiffness and pain, which sometimes presents itself as back pain, could mean you are at risk for degenerative osteoarthritis. Studies have shown that there are ways you can help prevent this. Poor posture and a sedentary lifestyle have shown to increase the risk of the condition in later years.