Joint Health Disorders

Arthritis
Causes of arthritis

Cartilage damage
Aching joints and joint pain
Gout

Please note: The information contained in these pages is for information only and should not be used for self diagnosis.  Anyone suffering from illness or who has concerns about any health issue should always consult their medical practitioner for proper diagnosis, advice and guidance. 

Arthritis (top)
The most common form of arthritis is ‘osteoarthritis’, although in medical terms, any long term condition of pain or inflammation in joints is called ‘arthritis’, whatever the underlying cause may be. If for any reason joint tissues become damaged the body’s natural response is inflammation. This is a natural immune defence mechanism of the body, and gives rise to pain to limit further use and so prevent further damage. When excessive inflammation occurs over a prolonged period, other structural changes can set in such as the development of small bony growths called ‘osteophytes’ which can eventually result in deformed or swollen joints, which are stiff and inflexible.

In a normal healthy state, both bone and cartilage are in a constant state of turnover, where old cartilage or bone is worn away and replaced with new, healthy material. Problems leading to arthritis can arise when the rate of wear or removal is exceeded by the rate of replacement; this can arise with age even with normal levels of physical activity. If the activity of bone and cartilage replacing cells is reduced through injury, trauma or illness, the rate of replacement of these joint tissues may be impaired leading to inflammation and joint pain.

Arthritis and osteoarthritis can occur in any joint, including those throughout the spine. Joint tissues, which include cartilage, tendons, synovial fluid and bone can become damaged in many ways - for example, when you put your joints under excessive and repeated strain. This can arise through sports injuries, when joints are badly aligned through poor posture (giving rise to increased wear and tear of the cartilage in joints), physical damage through external injury or accident, a result of infection by a pathogen, poor diet or nutrition (which may affect the bodies ability to repair itself), and when immune responses become over sensitive or over responsive causing rapid and frequent swelling.

Causes of Arthritis (top)

• Ageing
• Inadequate Diet
• Being Overweight
• Physical Activity
• Posture
• Medication
• Genetic Factors

Ageing (top)
Ageing can cause a number of biochemical and biomechanical changes in connective tissues such as cartilage and bones. In joint cartilage both the number of cells and their individual activity can decline with age. This means that cartilage in older joints may be less resistant to damage and less able to repair itself with new cartilage compared to younger joints.

Inadequate Diet (top)
A range of nutrients and complex molecules are required by the body in the maintenance of healthy joints.

Although your metabolism is able to manufacture the aminoglycans used in the synthesis of cartilage, some of these basic molecules can be acquired through diet. Glucosamine and Chondroitin and MSM (as a source of sulphur) are known as dietary agents that help to nourish joint cartilage, and numerous clinical studies have shown that they are of benefit in maintaining healthy joints. No specific recommendations exist for dietary recommended amounts of these nutrients and they are not considered ‘essential’. However, other co-factors are important in cartilage synthesis and are needed in minimum amounts in the diet to maintain health. These include Vitamins D, C and E, and the trace minerals boron, copper, manganese and zinc.

Omega 3 essential fatty acids are also believed to play a role both in producing joint fluids for lubrication, and in producing prostaglandins as part of the process of reducing inflammation.  Studies have shown benefits from increasing intake of Omega 3 nutrients in maintaining joint health. Therefore Omega 3 EFAs must be present in sufficient levels in the diet to help maintain joint health, as well as having known benefits in maintaining heart health.

In cases of Osteoarthritis it has been found that the levels of sulphur in the joint fluid are lower that those found in healthy joints. Dietary sulphur is used by the body in natural anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and is essential in maintaining the flexibility and permeability of cell walls.  Organic sulphur is provided in the diet by intakes of dimethyl-sulphonyl-methane (DMSO) and methyl-sulphonyl-methane (MSM), and is present in significant quantities in fresh vegetables and plant based foods.

Being Overweight (top)
Being overweight increases stress on load bearing joints of the hips and knees, which in turn can lead to increased joint pain and stiffness as the rate of cartilage wear and mechanical strain is increased.

Physical activity (top)
As cartilage does not have its own blood supply, physical activity can significantly affect the transport of nutrients from the blood into the joint tissues where they can be used. Physical activity will improve blood supply to the joints and is a positive action that can be taken to improve Joint health; however people who suffer from Joint problems should keep exercise at a moderate level unless advised otherwise by a health professional.

Excess mechanical stress and cartilage damage may occur in athletes and sports people. It is important for athletes to ensure that they eat sufficient essential nutrients and allow enough time for the body to make repairs: failure to do so can unbalance the cartilage repair process and increase damage.

Posture (top)
Misalignment of Joints called ‘subluxations’ can occur for many different reasons including injuries, posture, unbalanced use, soft beds or poor footwear. When joints are misaligned, wear and tear on the joints is greater and repair can be hindered resulting in arthritis. Generally, these occur on one side of the body only, as the misalignment of the joints causes an uneven distribution of weight.

Medication (top)
Some medicines such as pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs can mask the symptoms of tissue damage in the joints, but not arrest the underlying causes producing the damage.  If you are taking medications for joint problems, exercise should be restricted to the levels advised by your health professional.

Genetic factors (top)
It is believed that our genes may play a role in connective tissue metabolism, and this might explain some of the variations in that exist between different populations and their risk of developing arthritis and osteoarthritis

Joint Pain (top)
There are many potential underlying causes of joint pain besides ‘arthritis’ which may include:-

• allergic responses
• auto-immune problems
• cartilage damage
• infection
• toxins
• nutritional deficiencies:- for example a calcium deficiency may lead to osteoporosis, or inadequate intake of nutrients for cell repair can lead to cartilage and joint degeneration
• poor muscle tone
• genetic factors

Joint problems can also be caused by health issues elsewhere in the body, and are not limited to the musculo-skeletal system. Examples are problems with the liver, immune system, digestive system, nervous system and the endocrine (hormonal) system. Therefore, people with joint pain should always consult their health professional for diagnosis and guidance.

Cartilage Damage (top)

A common cause of joint pain and aching joints is mechanical damage.  This is where a cartilage, ligament or tendon becomes 'torn' due to excessive physical stress.  This could arise from physical injury, such as a twisted ankle or excessive usage.  Poor diet can also affect cartilage structure and integrity, making it more prone to damage or injury, or a slow rate of natural repair

Gout(top)
Gout is a condition where more uric acid is formed that the body can excrete, leading to crystals of uric acid forming in the joints, which in turn leads to pain and inflammation.