Rigor mortis[a] (from Latin rigor 'stiffness' and mortis 'of death'), or postmortem rigidity, is the fourth stage of death. It is one of the recognizable signs of death, characterized by stiffening of the limbs of …

Jun 25, 2024 · Rigor mortis is the third stage after death, in which the muscles harden and become stiff. Learn about its causes, stages, and more.

Dec 6, 2025 · Rigor mortis, physiological process that occurs within hours after death, wherein muscle tissue stiffens. Rigor mortis can be assessed manually by attempting to flex or extend each joint …

Aug 8, 2025 · Rigor mortis is a fundamental and critical post-mortem change that occurs in the body’s muscles after death. Its precise biochemical mechanism, involving the depletion of ATP and the …

Rigor mortis is defined as a chemical change that results in the stiffening of the body's muscles after death, caused by the formation of chemical bridges between actin and myosin in muscle tissues due …

Aug 26, 2025 · Understand rigor mortis: explore the natural science behind this post-mortem change and its predictable stages. Learn what happens to the body after death.

Rigor mortis is a piece of the forensic jigsaw puzzle, and combined with other details, it can help detectives and medical examiners figure out what happened. But what turns flexible joints into …

Sep 19, 2024 · Rigor mortis is when the body’s muscles become stiff after death, usually starting a few hours afterward and lasting for about three days.

Rigor mortis is a biochemical phenomenon characterized by the temporary stiffening of skeletal and cardiac muscles that occurs shortly after death, resulting from chemical changes within the muscular …

Rigor mortis is a valuable tool in forensic investigations. By assessing the degree of stiffness in a body, forensic experts can estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI) – the time elapsed since death.