Can anxiety cause stiff muscles?

[Kelxx]

Im freaking out at the moment over MS and MND.
I have really stiff/tight feeling muscles, it feels like a tight band has been wrapped around my arms.
I take 20mg fluoxitene, i twitch a lot also but im not sure if that is a side effect of the tablets or what.
So yeah, can anxiety cause this?

[matrix123]

I'm freaking out over MS also...(see my post), but stiff/tight muscles are common with anxiety. My issue is more of a weak leg and the fact that after 30-40 minutes of walking I have slight pain in the knee/calf...

[Mr Brownstone]

Stiff/sore muscles can be a symptom of anxiety

[Elle-Kay]

Absolutely - you're most likely unconsciously 'clenching' your muscles most of the time. I know I do, particularly in my shoulders, which causes them to feel tense and consequently stiff/sore after time. I also get migraines because of this. I have to try and remind myself to keep relaxing my shoulders regularly.

[cattia]

When my anxiety is bad, I often feel really stiff, like I have done a massive work out at the gym when in fact I have done no exercise at all. It's anxiety that causes you to tense your muscles without realising it.

[Magic]

I have very bad anxiety, and very bad muscle pain. worse when I first get out of bed
the pain wears off during the day if I am active. If I sit a lot (because of the rain/winds etc) the pain does not diminish, Cattia, I used to go to the Gym and I felt alot better when I had been. It took my mind off things as well