Arthritis Joint Damage

What Are Joints and Why Do They Hurt

Joints can handle some heavy pressure. For example, knees handle a force of three to four times a person’s total body weight on average just talking a walk.

The force of a deep knee bend during a squat can increase to nine times the body weight. So just imagine multiplying weight of more than 150 pounds times a minimum of three or four, and then even more. That can definitely add up to a lot of heavy work on knee joints over time. To ease the pain of Arthritic Joints in the knees, your doctor will always tell you to lose some weight. It makes sense.

Where two bones meet, called the joint, the bone ends are covered with cartilage, also known as gristle. This cartilage is sturdy, elastic and spongy or compressible, and keeps the bones from moving against each other at the joint.

The cells of this cartilage, called chondrocytes, are thought to be the longest living cells of the body. Among the building blocks for this connective tissue is organic sulphur or MSM in supplemental form.  Since cooking destroys this in foods, best use a supplement.

Surrounding the bones and cartilage is strong, fibrous capsule lined with synovium, a thin membrane that lubricates the joint area with fluid. The end result is less friction or smoother rubbing together of the bones. This fluid also feeds the cartilage cells, keeping them healthy, and is “pumped” into them during joint movement. Thus lack of movement (activity / exercise) can be unhealthy.

Muscles Have an Effect on Arthritis  Joint Damage

Other parts of the body features involved with this arthritic scenario include muscles, tendons, ligaments, bursea and mental activity. Muscles, attached to bones with tendons and ligaments, move bones by contracting. They also cushion movement, absorbing impact or shock.

Throughout the muscle and tendon areas are bursae or sacs filled with fluid. (It is the fluid in the joints that makes the “popping” noise when you rotate a joint. Even healthy undamaged joints can pop.) These also help cushion movement. And throughout all the coordination of these parts during movement, the brain is a part. The brain communicates via nerves throughout the body, in particular the muscles for this scenario, to prepare joints for activity.

The exact science of what actually causes arthritis joint damage is still being researched.

For most of the 200-plus forms of arthritis, the causes are unknown or still being debated. Injury, overuse of joints and mechanical issues with joints (like skeletal abnormalities, worn out joint muscles) can lead to arthritis.

And issues relating to bacteria and germs can certainly contribute to the problem. Heredity, stress, drugs, food allergies and viruses have also been linked to some forms of arthritis. So have diet, poor circulation and lack of movement.

Right now, we just don't know for sure what causes Arthritis and joint damage and pain.  But, and I think this is a big BUT, a healthy diet and regular exercise are the best prevention we have against all forms of Arthritis Joint Damage.