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Most joints--the place where two moving bones
come together--are designed to allow smooth movement between
the bones and to absorb shock from movements like walking
or repetitive movements. The joint is made up of:
- Cartilage: a hard but slippery coating on
the end of each bone. Cartilage, which breaks down and wears
away in osteoarthritis, is described in more detail below.
- Joint capsule: a tough membrane sac that
holds all the bones and other joint parts together.
- Synovium (sin-O-vee-um): a thin membrane
inside the joint capsule.
- Synovial fluid: a fluid that lubricates
the joint and keeps the cartilage smooth and healthy.
- Ligaments, tendons, and muscles: tissues
that keep the bones stable and allow the joint to bend and
move. Ligaments are tough, cord-like tissues that connect
one bone to another. Tendons are tough, fibrous cords that
connect muscles to bones. Muscles are bundles of specialized
cells that contract to produce movement when stimulated
by nerves.
How
Do You Know if You Have Osteoarthritis?
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Be sure to visit the Glucosamine Product Guide for a review of commercially available glucosamine products broken down by 9 different categories such as price per month, quality and type. Learn what the best products out there are and what criteria was used to ranked each. |
