Joint Pain

Last updated: Wed, Nov 16, 2022

Joints are complex and come in several varieties. Shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, fingers, and toes all have synovial joints. The end of each bone is capped with a cartilage, and these cartilages are enclosed in a capsule composed of ligament which contains synovial fluid that lubricates and nourishes the joint. These same joints are all spanned by muscles that stabilize the joints and move the bones in relation to one another. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons. Bones are attached to other bones by ligaments. The joints between spinal vertebrae are not synovial but are cartilaginous, since the spinal discs are mostly cartilage and they contain no synovial fluid.

Healthy joints are not painful unless subjected to an unusual amount of force or unless forced beyond their normal range of motion. Damage or disease to any of the joint's components can lead to pain.

Within this section...

Connective Tissue Damage (Last updated: Mon, Jun 26, 2017)

Osteoarthritis and Joint Pain (Last updated: Sun, Jun 25, 2017)

Joint Pain Physiology (Last updated: Sun, Aug 4, 2024)

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Lower Back Pain (Last updated: Mon, Aug 12, 2024)