Muscle/tendon stiffness

Musculoskeletal system Weakness and muscle fatigue increased deep tendon reflexes hypercalcemia osteoporosis Stiffness and muscle fatigue decreased deep tendon reflexes increased alkaline phosphatase, LDH, AST... 

When the blood cannot support the head, dizziness and vertigo may present. If the blood is too weak to circulate, one will feel tingling of the limbs. When the blood fails to nourish skin, muscles and tendons, the skin becomes dry and itchy, muscles and tendons become stiff or numb, and patients may feel tired. Since normal menstruation is directly supported by blood, irregular menstruation and amenorrhea may occur in conditions of blood deficiency. If the blood is unable to nourish the Heart, the Heart-shen becomes rootless, and insomnia, palpitations, shortness of breath, restlessness and anxiety arise. If the Liver-blood is not able to support... 

When the blood is too weak to circulate and nourish the tendons, numbness, tingling of the muscles, stiffness or cramp of the joints and thin and brittle nails may present. 

Ji Xue Teng is bitter, sweet and warm, and enters the Liver and Kidney meridians. It can tonify the blood, promote blood circulation and open the collaterals. It is often selected in the formula to treat numbness of the limbs, and stiff and uneasy sensations of the muscles and tendons. 

SangJi Sheng is bitter, sweet and neutral, and enters the Liver and Kidney meridians. It can nourish the blood, strengthen the tendons and expel the wind-dampness. It is particularly useful for recurrent or chronic muscular disorders, such as chronic stiffness and heaviness of muscles in a condition of Liver-Yin and blood deficiency. 

Distension (even pain) in hypochondria and lateral sides of the lower abdomen, stiffness of the muscles and tendons, especially of the neck, shoulders and back, irregular menstruation, easily irritated, restlessness, dream-disturbed sleep and depression. 

Bai Shao Yao is sour and cold, and enters the Liver meridian. It can generate Liver-Yin and reduce heat, and thus treat vigilance, irritability, night sweats, insomnia and dream-disturbed sleep. Since it can nourish the liver-blood and soften the Liver, it can ease the tendons and relieve trembling and stiffness of the muscles. It is an import herb for use in acute and chronic conditions of anxiety and insomnia caused by disorders of the Liver. 

These herbs are selected particularly for treating disorders related to tendons, bones and muscles. ShenJin Cao is a pungent, bitter and warm herb, but it is not dry in nature. It enters the Liver meridian and is especially effective in treating disorders of the tendons. It is able to expel wind, open the meridians, promote blood circulation and relax the tendons. It is mostly used for chronic Bi syndrome, which manifests as stiff limbs, difficulty with moving and walking, soreness of the tendons and bones, and numbness of the skin. 

Mu Gua relaxes the muscles by transforming dampness and invigorating the collaterals it treats cramps and stiffness, which are caused by dampness. Bai Shao Yao is able to nourish the Yin and blood and therefore relax the muscles and tendons it treats cramp or spasm. In the condition when cramp is caused by dampness obstruction as well as Yin deficiency, Mu Gua and Bai Shao Yao should be used together. In addition, they can be applied as corrective assistants in the formula to prevent the pungent and hot herbs consuming the Yin. 

These three herbs are bitter and warm, and enter the Liver and Kidney meridians. They have the functions of expelling wind-dampness, tonifying the Liver and Kidney and strengthening the tendons and bones. Although they can all treat chronic Bi syndrome and Wei syndrome characterized by stiff joints, sore and painful back and knees, weakness of the muscles of the legs and difficulty with walking, there are some differences in their functions ... 

There are two basic structural types of bone cancellous (trabecular, spongy) and cortical (dense) bones. Cancellous bone matter is less dense than that of cortical bone and is found across the ends of the long bones. Owing to its lower density, cancellous bone has also a much lower modulus of elasticity but higher strain-to-failure rate compared to cortical bone (Table 3.1). Bone has higher moduli of elasticity than soft connective tissues, such as tendons and ligaments. The difference in stiffness (elastic modulus) between the various types of connective tissues ensures a smooth gradient in mechanical stress across a bone, between bones and between muscles and bones (Hench, 2014). 

The authors investigated the bulk tissue behaviour of the below-knee amputee s residual limb. An assessment of Young s modulus was made by matching the indentation experimental curves with the curves produced by the finite element modelling of the indentation into a layer of tissue with idealized mechanical properties. In vivo tests, conducted at four sites of a below-knee amputee s limb (patella tendon, popliteal, and anterolateral regions) found the local moduli to be 145, 50, 50 and 120 kPa respectively. The effect of muscle tension on the measured indentation response was also investigated. The results showed that the stiffness increased with muscle contraction. 

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