Muscle Pain and Stiffness
Common causes of muscle pain are tension, stress, overuse and minor injuries.5 In these cases, pain is usually localized, effecting just a few muscles or a small part of your body. Muscle pain also can involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia, which are the soft tissues that connect your muscles, bones, and organs.
Muscle stiffness is often caused by hard physical labor and exercise. When you start a new exercise routine or increase its intensity and duration, it may result in microscopic damage to the muscle fibers resulting in stiffness or soreness. This is sometimes referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The most common cause of muscle stiffness is a sprain or strain, which can affect muscles and ligaments.6
