Can stress and anxiety cause joint problems?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 27-year-old male with no history of joint issues. Can stress and anxiety cause joints to pop? I was good last month but this month it has been really stressful for me and I know my hands feel stiff and all my joints pop. When I raise my arms, one can hear the tendons stretching like rubber bands. When I rotate my legs, my hips pop. They make pretty loud pop with no pain at all. My elbows sometimes pop, not often. I have no disease that I know of. Can this be caused by stress and depression? Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Random clicking and popping joints is a common occurrence and as long as there is no associated pain or swelling, there is nothing to worry about at a young age such as yours.

Excessive stress and anxiety can make your muscles taut.

This can happen during periods of depression too.

When you move any synovial joint around, the taut muscles around these joints cause the popping and cracking.

You can try gentle stretching exercises every morning.

This will help relax your muscles and subsequently relax your joints.