What Causes Body Stiffness In An Elderly Patient After Sitting Down For Long Hours?

Posted on Fri, 26 Jan 2018

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 26 Jan 2018 Answered on

Tue, 21 Aug 2018 Last reviewed on

Question : Yes, I am 71 yrs old , play Pickleball twice a week and walk twice a week. I also do a XXXXXXX citizen yoga once a week. Off and on I do have problems with a sciatic nerve but deal with that. My question is when I have sat for an hr and get up to walk, I am so stiff I can hardy move in the beginning but after I get started I am fine and this is not all the time but more than I care to mention and want to know is this normal or should I take a vitamin that I am not getting ?

Answered by Dr. Suresh Heijebu (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Possible osteoarthritis vs secondary muscle spasm

Detailed Answer:

Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.

These symptoms are certainly not normal. They either reflect muscle spasm secondary to sciatic nerve compression or osteoarthritis of the hop joint.

It's advisable to consider an x ray of both hips at the earliest to determine further course of action. An MRI SPINE of dorsolumbar spine might be required as well.

Further management if any is largely based on test results.

Hope I have answered your query.

Take care

Dr. Suresh Heijebu, General & Family Physician

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D