Which statement best describes the clinical presentation of rheumatoid arthritis?

• A. Morning stiffness less than 15 minutes
• B. Morning stiffness greater than 30 minutes
• C. Morning stiffness greater than 60 minutes
• D. No morning stiffness

Answer: (B)

Morning stiffness in rheumatoid arthritis reflects its inflammatory nature. Overnight, joints become inflamed, and when you start moving in the morning, the stiffness persists for a while before easing with activity. The statement that fits best is stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, because this duration is the classic sign of inflammatory arthritis and helps distinguish RA from conditions like osteoarthritis, where stiffness is usually brief. Some patients may have stiffness lasting longer, even beyond an hour, but the >30-minute threshold is the most typical and clinically useful description. Options indicating very short stiffness, no stiffness, or requiring a longer duration than about half an hour are less characteristic of RA.