The definition of a joint is a part of the body where two or more bones meet and allow movement. Freely moving joints can be the ball and socket, saddle, hinge, pivot, condyloid and gliding joints. Those joints that afford us a greater range of movement such as the shoulder have higher injury risk than the others. You may also hear a joint being referred to as an articulation.

So, to break it down, the more you can move and maneuver your joint the more chance you have of injuring it. The main cause for this is that the larger the range of movement that is involved the weaker the strength of the joint.

You can break all the joints down into categories of how much movement they allow. The three very general groups of joints are called:

• Immovable- this is where two or more bones are in close proximity to each other but that don’t allow for any movement. For example this could include the skull bones, these are actually called sutures.
• Slightly movable- this is where tow or more bones are bound so tightly against each other that they can only give very limited movement. This is seen in say, the vertebrae of the spine.
• Freely movable- this covers most of the joints in the human body. Because, after all, the main purpose of a joint is motion.

Some times we may experience joint pain. This can be due to any number of things but there are some common causes of pain in the joints that your orthopedic doctor would like to discuss further with you so that you can both work out a diagnosis, treatment plan and recovery time.

• Arthritis-this is the stiffness and pain that causes inflammation in the joints. There is rheumatoid arthritis or gout as well as degenerative arthritic conditions such as osteoarthritis.
• Bursitis- where the fluid filled sacs that lubricate the tendons and joint rupture
• Infection- usually within the joint itself
• Tendinitis – swelling, inflammation and irritation of a tendon that is attached to a joint
• Injury- this would include a sprain or strain of a tendon or ligament, or muscle or a fracture of a bone.