I hyperextended my right knee the other day. As, a result, it’s difficult getting up from a sitting position. Not so much fun at all. This got me thinking more about joint health.

Are creaky joints for the elderly only?

Before we can talk about joint care, we need to review what makes up a joint. You can see we have many joints throughout our body. Our joints are in motion constantly which causes them to wear down. It’s like how your car tires wear away after the perpetual motion from the rubber hitting the pavement.

As a nurse, I saw people from all age groups with joint pain. I saw babies born with rheumatoid arthritis, athletes from elementary school to college with joint pain, young adults having joint replacements, to middle aged and elderly persons struggling with discomfort. Joint pain knows no boundaries.

What kind of joints do we have?

We have joints that move and junctions that have little or no movement. I’m going to address the intersections in our body that are more commonly known.

• Ball-and-socket joints. Ball-and-socket joints, found in the shoulder and hip joints, allow backward, forward, sideways, and rotating movements.

• Hinge joints. Hinge joints, those in the fingers, knees, elbows, and toes, allow only bending and straightening movements.

• Pivot joints. Pivot joints, found in the neck joints, allow limited rotating movements.

• Ellipsoidal joints. Ellipsoidal joints, being in the wrist joint, allow all types of movement except pivotal movements.

What makes up a joint?

Knowing what the connecting sections are made of helps us understand what can go wrong in the functioning of the body.

• Cartilage. Is a type of tissue that covers the surface of a bone at a joint. Cartilage helps reduce the friction of movement within that junction.

• Synovial membrane. Tissue called the synovial membrane lines the joint and seals it into a coupling capsule. The synovial membrane secretes a clear, sticky fluid (synovial fluid) around the joint to lubricate it.

• Ligaments. Strong ligaments (tough, elastic bands of connective tissue) surround the joint to give support and limit the joint’s movement. Ligaments connect bones together.

• Tendons. Tendons are strong connective tissue on each side of a joint attach to muscles that control movement of the joint. These connect muscles to bones.

• Bursas. Fluid-filled sacs, called bursa, between bones, ligaments, or other nearby structures. They cushion the friction in a joint.

• Synovial fluid. A clear, sticky fluid secreted by the synovial membrane.

• Meniscus. This is a curved part of cartilage in the knees and other joints.

Why do our connecting intersections wear down?

Excessive use can wear the joints down. Overuse of the nexus is found in athletes who spend hours lifting weights and practicing their sport. Wear and tear is seen with professionals such as dancers who spend eight hours or more a day rehearsing.

Joint damage is seen in young children playing sport games such as soccer or football. Their growth plates get damaged and serious repercussions can be the results.

Stress on the joints can cause osteoarthritis, damage to the joint making it necessary to replace the connector.

Our hinges make sounds throughout ones life. However, when you have constant cracking along with pain, then it’s time to see a doctor.

Care of the joints

What can we do to support our body’s joints?

1. Building the muscle tissue and ligament strength around the connections between the bones is essential for protection.
2. Lose weight if you’re carrying around extra poundage. Excessive weight adds stress on the joints.
3. Stretch! Gently stretch your muscles and body. Stretching exercise keeps the body limber.
4. Low impact exercise such as walking or water aerobics will help keep your hinges strong without adding undue stress on the body.
5. Eat a healthy diet. Selecting foods that nourish the body, gives your body the right fuel it needs to function properly.
6. Make sure you take a good multivitamin with minerals to support the rebuilding process of ones body.

You have only one body! Taking care of it is important if you want to live an active lifestyle. Teach young people the proper way to care for their body so they can live a pain free life as they age.

I know many people well into their eighties and nineties who have no joint pain. I personally know many elderly persons who are not on medications because they lived a healthy lifestyle in their youth.

I live by the words of one of my beloved nursing teachers, “It’s easier to prevent a problem than it is to fix it.” So true! Eat healthy foods for your joints!