How to Support Healthy Joints

Our joints come in a number of shapes and sizes and enableus to move in numerous different ways while we carry out various activitiesthrough our daily lives. Without our joints, our bodies would be rigid andimmobile. Unfortunately, these necessary points in our bodies are ofteninjured, which leads to discomfort and pain.

The joint in the body that is mostcommonly injured is the knee, followed by the shoulders, spine and ankles.Nearly 30 million doctor visits each year are attributed to shoulder and kneeinjuries alone while doctors see nearly 200 million back pain cases annually many of which are related to injuries to the joints.

Joints are made to stand up to the daily loads that areplaced on them while offering a full range of motion. Every joint is comprisedof at least two different surfaces that are designed to touch each other whileallowing for movement, including ball and socket joints, like the hip; glidingjoints, like those in the spine; and hinge joints, found in the elbow and knee.

The bones in the joint allow movement but there are alsomuscles present that are responsible for pulling the bones that cause themovement to occur. Bones and muscles are connected by structures that arecalled tendons, which need to be very strong to allow movement to take placeand they need to work well to prevent muscle damage. Ligaments help preventexcessive movement by remaining attached to bones. Muscles, tendons andligaments are found at each joint location in the body in specific locations.Fluid is present in each joint to lubricate the joint surface, allowing forlifelong use while reducing friction.

Just like proper nutrition, a healthy lifestyle and a healthyexercise routine are each important for long term joint health, so are themovements that your body performs on a daily basis. By moving your jointsthrough their full ranges of motion, several purposes are served, includingsupplying each joint with necessary blood for long term maintenance.

The majority of joints in the body are lined with a firmtissue that covers the entire bones surface that makes up the joint. Thispliable tissue is called cartilage. Cartilage is fed with synovial fluid thatis pushed into the cartilage through imbibition, which is a pressure-filledprocess. This process can only occur when movement takes place. This is whymovement is important for joint health. When bone grinds on bone without ahealthy covering of cartilage, degenerative joint diseases can develop, whichcan lead to the development of cysts, bone spurs and even excess boneproduction.

Spinal discs are made up of two parts, including a larger,more ligament-like outer portion known as the annulus fibrosus as well as aninner gelatinous portion known as the nucleus pulposus. Each of these structuresare water or fluid based and rely on movement for their nourishment. Because ofthis, spinal movement is imperative when it comes to the health of joints inthe spine.

Good diet and nutrition are also important when it comes to jointhealth. When your body is filled with healthy nutrients, your joints areequipped with more long-term stability as well as a greater level of resistanceto the wear and tear that they undergo with everyday life.

Chiropractors adjustthe spine, which can help to eliminate subluxations located in the vertebrae ofthe spine. The work of a chiropractor can help to improve mobility whilealleviating pain. Chiropractors also have similar leverage when it comes tojoints as they can relieve tension while promoting efficient function by manipulatingthe joints.

Chiropractors can adjust many joints in the body, includingthose in the back and neck, ankles, knees, wrists, elbow and shoulders. Achiropractic adjustment in any of these joints may bring about alleviation ofpain and improved mobility.

Although joint pain is a regular part of many of our lives,there is chiropractic care readily available to help make life less painful. Weuse our joints for almost everything so keep your joints in good health as bestas you can!