Joints

Remember that little ditty you and your friends used to sing when you were learning the parts of the body?

The foot bone connected to the--leg bone.

The leg bone connected to the--kneebone.

And onward up the skeleton.

Well, there''''s just one problem with that song. It leaves out all the important intersections--namely, our joints.

Without joints nothing would hold the skeleton together, and we wouldn''''t be able to move. If we didn''''t have joints, what else would we complain about at night after a day of lifting, climbing stairs or walking?

Joints by Group

You actually have several kinds of joints in your body. The ones that are joined by fibrous tissue, called fibrous joints, allow for little or no movement. There are three types of fibrous joints. One type of fibrous joint is in the skull, where the seams are connected by fiber that fuses together during adulthood.

Another kind of fibrous joint is bound with ligaments--cords of fibrous tissue that come in varying lengths. The shorter the ligament, the less movement in the joint. In your lower leg, for example, you have narrow, thick bones--the tibia and fibula--connected with fibrous joints, allowing a little "give" but no real movement between the ends of the two bones.

Still another kind of fibrous joint works like a peg in a socket. The only example is in your jaw, where your teeth fit into bony sockets.

You also have cartilaginous joints, where the bones are separated or cushioned with a protective material called cartilage. These are the kinds of joints you have in your pelvis, between your first rib and sternum and in your spine. Sometimes the cartilage takes the form of a pad--called a meniscus--that acts as a shock absorber between bones.

At your knees, shoulders, hips and other limb connections, you have yet a third kind of joint, called synovia. Synovial joints have cavities filled with a slippery fluid, called synovial fluid, that''''s about the consistency of egg white. The synovial fluid allows for flexibility, lubrication and generally easy movement.

The Many Aches of Eves

If women have more joint problems than men, there''''s a good reason for it: Studies show that we''''re at greater risk for a lot of joint problems, including the most common kinds of arthritis as well as osteoporosis. We''''re even at greater risk of getting less-common joint diseases, such as lupus, an autoimmune disease that involves joint degeneration. (Nearly 90 percent of those who get lupus are women.)

Arthritis is a catchall term that refers to pain and stiffness in the joint. While there are many kinds of arthritis, osteoarthritis and the rheumatoid forms are the most prevalent. Osteoarthritis, the most common form, is frequently called degenerative joint disease or "wear-and-tear arthritis." The wear and tear occurs when cartilage--the padding between the bones--begins to fray, turning that ample cushion into a worn-down rag rug. Without their shock absorbers, the bone ends begin to rub against each other, causing irritation, sometimes swelling and eventually the development of growths or spurs. You''''ll feel stiffness and occasional pain--and arthritis can eventually restrict your movements.

Joints of the body commonly affected by osteoarthritis include the knee, hip, fingers and spine. It usually starts as bumps in the fingers, according to Emil Pascarelli, M.D., professor of clinical medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. Women often get symptoms of osteoarthritis after menopause.

Another kind of arthritis is rheumatoid--a disease in which the immune system actually attacks tissue in the body. Researchers aren''''t clear what causes the disease, but they suspect it may develop after someone''''s been infected with bacteria or a virus. This kind of arthritis typically strikes when a woman is in her thirties, but it can occur at any age.

At the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, membrane lining the joints becomes inflamed. Eventually, the disease can progress to the point where abnormal tissue as well as scar tissue forms inside the joint, and sometimes the bone ends actually fuse together.

In a normal joint there''''s ample cartilage between the bones--which prevents wear-and-tear.

With osteoarthritis the cartilage is worn away, allowing the bones to rub together.

What Joint Health Hinges On

If you''''re already getting mild complaints from the joints around your body, you can take measures to ease the discomfort. Here''''s what doctors recommend.

Take to the high road. It''''s good for your joints to have weight-bearing, low-impact exercise at least three times a week, according to Dr. Pascarelli. Translated, this means that you should take a good long walk at least several times a week or use that time for step aerobics or a low-impact exercise routine, he adds.

There is no evidence that running is bad for the joints, says Angela Smith, M.D., assistant professor of orthopedics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. If you have an injury already, running may aggravate it. Also, errors in training (for example, increasing distance or speed too rapidly for the body to adapt properly) can cause injury in any sport--even swimming, she adds.

Stretch for the future. Stretching is excellent for the joints, says Dr. Pascarelli, since tight muscles put unnecessary pressure on them. Any kind of stretching is good as long as you don''''t bounce, which can pull a muscle. Hold a slow, steady stretch for 15 to 20 seconds, then relax and repeat. (For starters, try out the stretches on page 196.)

Chomp on some bone builder. Calcium is an essential building block for maintaining strong bones. It also helps prevent osteoporosis or bone loss, which takes its toll when the bone around a joint begins to crack or deteriorate.

Aim to get between 1,000 milligrams and 1,500 milligrams of calcium a day, says Dr. Smith. (For a list of the best food sources, see "Calcium Champs" on page 269.) Many doctors will advise you to take supplements if you don''''t get all the calcium you need from food.

Don''''t block the bone builder. Both caffeine and nicotine are believed to interfere with calcium absorption, says Dr. Pascarelli. So do your best to give up smoking and cut back on caffeinated beverages such as tea, coffee and colas. Chocolate also contains caffeine, so sometimes it''''s advisable to have something else for dessert.

See also Ankles, Elbows, Hips, Knees, Shoulders, Skeletal System, Spine