Joints are made up of bone, cartilage and tendons and are where two or more bones in the body come together and meet. There are several different types of joints in the human body, including the ball-and-socket joint which allows up, down and around movements like those found in the shoulder, and a hinge joint which allows back and forth movement like those found in the knee.
Although there are more than 300 joints in your body, only a few allow movement. Some of the main areas that you have joints in your body:
Joint Diseases and Conditions
Joint stiffness and pain can be caused by several different things. Health conditions, arthritis, injuries, sprains and strains, repetitive stress, or low synovial fluid (thick liquid surrounding your joints).
One of the most common conditions that impact joint health is arthritis. More than 58 million people, or 24% of all adults, have some form of arthritis like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.
Auto immune diseases such as lupus or Sjogren’s syndrome lead to chronic inflammation in your body that causes joint pain and stiffness.
Sprains and strains impact the ligaments around the joints which can become stretched or torn from an injury or overuse. Bursitis is also a cause either due to injury, overuse, or arthritis.
Tips for Joint Health
You can help protect your joints from conditions by staying active, managing your weight, and eating a nutritious diet.
Stay active. Exercise is the first line treatment for reducing pain and improving function in joints. Studies show that exercise also helps synovial fluid and nutrients in the synovium move around better. Perhaps start with a walk after dinner each evening, which also helps your metabolism. Always talk to your healthcare provider before starting an exercise regimen.
Eat right. Eating nutritious foods may help you protect your joints or help ease arthritis symptoms and lower inflammation in the body. A healthy diet can also help increase your synovial fluid which helps lubricate the synovial joints (shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees). The science-backed Mediterranean diet was once again voted the best diet for 2023 by U.S. News and World Report.
Weight Management. A healthy weight equals less stress on your joints. Experts estimate that for every 1 pound you weigh, your knees feel the force of 3 pounds of pressure when you take a step. So, losing 10 pounds will result in 30 pounds less pressure per knee, per step.
Supplements. Some studies have shown omega-3s to be beneficial for joint pain. Fish oil supplements can produce modest benefits and may reduce inflammation. Turmeric (curcumin) may also provide some benefits, but more investigation and studies are needed to demonstrate efficacy. Always check with your healthcare provider before taking nutritional supplements.
Joint pain is a normal consequence of some conditions as well as a part of aging. But that doesn’t mean you have to live with it.
If you are staying active, eating right and are of a healthy weight and the pain is still severe, it might be time to consider seeing an orthopedist. Depending on the severity of your joint pain, they may consider specific injections to help ease the pain. Surgery is always the last recommended course of action.
Talk to your healthcare provider about your joint pain and what seems to make it better or worse. An early diagnosis and treatment before damage becomes severe can save you from considerable pain and disability.
To schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, call the numbers below:
Shoulder Pain: Reuben Gobezie, MD, 844-746-8537 (844-SHOULDR) or visit clevelandshoulder.com
Hip or Knee Pain: Nicholas Callahan, DO, 800-HIP-7485, or visit clevelandhipandknee.com
Neck/Back Pain: Robert L. McLain, MD, 800-670-0302, or visit spinesurgerycleveland.com
Sources:
https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-diets-overall
https://www.arthritis-health.com/blog/why-losing-weight-best-treatment-knee-arthritis