Hand Stiffness
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI
Worried about your symptoms?
Start the Hand Stiffness test with our free AI Symptom Checker.
This will help us personalize your assessment.
By starting the symptom checker, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Try one of these related symptoms.
Stiffness in hands
Hand pain
Hand stiffness
Right hand stiffness
Left hand stiffness
Stiffness in hands and fingers
Hand stiffness in the morning
Finger joint stiffness
Hands are stiff when I wake up
About the Symptom
You may feel pain and have a limited range of motion if your hand or fingers are stiff. It can cause limitations in the use of your hands. It can be caused by problems in the joints and/or ligaments of the hands. Some common causes are arthritis, fractures, sprains, and tendon/muscle injuries.
Possible Causes
Generally, Hand stiffness can be related to:
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The carpal tunnel is an area in the wrist where nerves travel. When the tunnel is compressed, symptoms of numbness or pain in the fingers can occur. Common triggers include long periods of typing on keyboards, pregnancy, and diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Hand stiffness may be related to these serious diseases:
- Hypocalcemia
Hypocalcemia occurs when blood calcium levels are too low. It's often caused by abnormal levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) or vitamin D in the body.
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Are your hands getting stiff?
- How is your stiffening of the hands now?
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
Content updated on Jan 29, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
Was this page helpful?
Tell your friends about us.
We would love to help them too.
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizHow Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Hand Stiffness quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Hand tightens up; becomes stiff
- Stiffening of the hands
- Stiffness of the hands
- Hands are stiffening
- Hands are stiff
Find Similar Symptoms
Symptoms from similar body parts
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
FAQs
Q.
Grip Strength as a Longevity Predictor: The Science of Muscle Vitality
A.
Grip strength is a simple, low cost signal of whole body muscle and nerve vitality, and lower scores consistently link to higher risks of earlier death, cardiovascular disease, hospitalization, and loss of independence even after accounting for age and activity. There are several factors to consider, including what counts as low for your age and sex, how your strength changes over time, practical ways to improve it with resistance training, hand exercises, daily use, and protein, plus red flag symptoms that should prompt medical care. See below for the complete answer with specifics that may affect your next steps in care.
References:
* Leong, D. P., Teo, K. K., Rangarajan, S., Lopez-Jaramillo, P., Avezum, A., Steyn, P. S., ... & Yusuf, S. (2015). Grip strength, a biomarker of aging, and all-cause mortality: a prospective cohort study and meta-analysis. *PLoS One*, *10*(9), e0138261.
* Wu, Y., Wang, W., Liu, T., & Zhang, D. (2017). Association of grip strength with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in older adults. *Journal of the American Geriatrics Society*, *65*(6), 1269-1275.
* Fritz, N. E., & Heffernan, K. S. (2021). Grip strength is associated with different measures of healthy aging. *The Journals of Gerontology: Series A*, *76*(7), 1289-1296.
* Leong, D. P., Teo, K. K., Rangarajan, S., Lopez-Jaramillo, P., Avezum, A., Steyn, P. S., ... & Yusuf, S. (2015). Prognostic value of grip strength: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. *The Lancet*, *386*(9990), 266-273.
* Rijk, C. C. M. L., van der Putten, J. W. M., & de Groot, L. C. P. G. M. (2018). Grip strength as a biological marker of aging: a narrative review. *Journal of Frailty & Aging*, *7*(4), 210-216.
Q.
The "Dead Hang" Secret: How Better Grip Strength Extends Your Life Expectancy
A.
Grip strength is a powerful, research backed marker of longevity, and regular 10 to 30 second dead hangs can improve it while supporting joints, muscles, and overall resilience tied to lower cardiovascular risk and better function with age. There are several factors to consider. See below for safe progressions and modifications, other ways to train grip, when weakness signals a medical issue, and why grip is a marker not a guarantee, which can guide your next steps in care.
References:
* Leong DP, et al. Handgrip strength as a predictor of all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2017 Mar;27(3):288-302. doi: 10.1111/sms.12644. Epub 2016 Dec 21. PMID: 28004732.
* Tautz S, et al. Prognostic value of grip strength for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cancer mortality in a general population: The KORA-F4 study. Eur J Epidemiol. 2015 Jul;30(7):727-36. doi: 10.1007/s10654-015-0046-5. Epub 2015 Jun 3. PMID: 26037302.
* Celis-Morales CA, et al. Handgrip Strength and All-Cause Mortality, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015 Oct;90(10):1398-405. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.06.012. Epub 2015 Jun 2. PMID: 26022444.
* Chu HW, et al. Association of handgrip strength with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in older adults: a community-based study in Taiwan. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2020 Sep-Oct;90:104117. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2020.104117. Epub 2020 Jul 15. PMID: 32668504.
* Wang R, et al. Handgrip strength and all-cause mortality: a prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank. BMC Public Health. 2022 Feb 11;22(1):310. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-12711-z. PMID: 35148782; PMCID: PMC8835821.
Q.
Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) warnings, watch-outs, and more
A.
Superoxide dismutase safety at a glance: oral SOD has limited and variable absorption, dosing is not standardized, quality and labeling vary, and mild effects like digestive upset, bloating, nausea, or headache can occur; topical forms are usually lower risk but may irritate sensitive skin. Use extra caution if pregnant or breastfeeding, with autoimmune disease or severe allergies, during cancer treatment, or with liver or kidney disease, and check for melon or bovine sources if allergic; there are several factors to consider, so see the complete details below and talk with your clinician before starting.
References:
* He H, Hu Y, Chen J, Liu T, Yang D. Superoxide Dismutase Mimics and Their Therapeutic Implications. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Apr 29;10(5):704. doi: 10.3390/antiox10050704. PMID: 33924194. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33924194/
* Li JJ, Zhang YP, Han Q, Sun XJ. Potential toxicity of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) to human cells. J Cell Biochem. 2001;84(1):173-9. doi: 10.1002/jcb.1271. PMID: 11756538. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11756538/
* Gholizadeh S, Mohseni Y, Ziapour N, Mohammadi S, Hassanzadeh E. Superoxide dismutase and central nervous system disorders. J Cell Physiol. 2019 Jun;234(6):8307-8324. doi: 10.1002/jcp.27635. PMID: 30678241. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30678241/
* Singh B, Singh A, Singh P, Pathak C, Singh S. Emerging role of superoxide dismutase and its mimics in neurodegenerative diseases: A therapeutic insight. Cell Mol Biol Lett. 2020 Apr 24;25:21. doi: 10.1186/s11658-020-00207-0. PMID: 32338692. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32338692/
* Niki E. Superoxide dismutase and its role in disease. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2023 Mar 5;645:84-88. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.01.077. PMID: 36768393. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36768393/
Q.
What is Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) - 5 important things to know
A.
Superoxide dismutase SOD is a key antioxidant enzyme that converts the damaging superoxide radical into safer molecules and exists as SOD1, SOD2, and SOD3 to protect cells in the cytoplasm, mitochondria, and outside tissues. Its activity can decline with age, stress, and illness and is linked to inflammation and chronic conditions; minerals like copper, zinc, and manganese, healthy habits, and cautious supplement use can influence it. There are several factors to consider, and they could affect your next steps with your doctor; see the complete details below to understand more.
References:
* Ma, X., Wang, Q., Li, H., & Zhou, D. (2021). Superoxide dismutase: A multifaceted enzyme and its role in cancer, neurodegeneration and inflammation. *Redox Biology*, 44, 102008.
* Li, S. W., Wang, C. C., Chen, S. F., & Yu, W. S. (2020). The Role of Superoxide Dismutases in Cellular Redox Signaling. *Antioxidants (Basel)*, 9(6), 493.
* Johnson, S. L., Johnson, T. E., & Johnson, D. A. (2018). Superoxide Dismutase as a Target for Therapeutic Intervention. *Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity*, 2018, 7823525.
* Wang, W., Li, J., Cui, X., Chen, Z., & Chen, G. (2022). Superoxide Dismutase and Its Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases: An Update. *Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences*, 9, 899812.
* Wang, Y., Li, S., Yan, J., Yang, Z., Han, F., Liu, R., & Li, W. (2021). Superoxide dismutase: A novel marker for cellular senescence?. *Ageing Research Reviews*, 72, 101486.
Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide
Our symptom checker AI is continuously refined with input from experienced physicians, empowering them to make more accurate diagnoses.
Ubie is recognized by healthcare and tech leaders
“World’s Best Digital
Health Companies”
Newsweek 2024
“Best With AI”
Google Play Best of 2023
“Best in Class”
Digital Health Awards 2023 (Quarterfinalist)
Which is the best Symptom Checker?
Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Hand Stiffness - American Society for Surgery of the Hand
https://www.assh.org/handcare/condition/stiff-hands