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Importance of Joints in our Body?
The joint is a junction zone between two bones. In some cases, the joint may be almost fixed, such as between the bones of the sacrum, for example. But most of the time, it is mobile and allows our body to perform all the movements it needs on a daily basis.
The role of joints
If the bones support our body, thanks to their strength and rigidity, the joints are there to ensure the flexibility of the skeleton and allow it to perform the movements transmitted by the muscles. All joints therefore have a role to play in mobility and balance, but also in the functioning of the body in general (breathing, chewing, language, etc.). However, certain major joints are particularly stressed during everyday movements: joints of the neck, shoulders, elbow, wrist or joints of the hands, hips, knee, ankle and feet.
A mechanical model
To ensure its mobility, each joint is made up of flexible and resistant ligaments which connect the bones two by two. In addition, the ends of the two bones that face each other are covered with a very specific tissue, cartilage. Intermediate structure between the bone and certain soft tissues (connective tissue), the cartilage is smooth, flexible and slightly elastic. It is nevertheless very resistant, especially with regard to the friction which accompanies the movements. For certain highly stressed joints, such as the knee, the elbow or the knuckles of the fingers, the cartilage is permanently lubricated by a viscous material, the synovial fluid, contained in a capsule which surrounds all the articular parts.
Movement, necessary for joints
All of the joints play a major role in our health, so it is important to give them the care they deserve. There is no need to spare them excessively while remaining immobile, because when a joint does not function sufficiently, the cartilage is poorly irrigated and poorly lubricated. Indeed, the cartilage is devoid of blood vessels. It is irrigated and fed by diffusion between the synovial fluid and the fluid it contains (interstitial fluid). These vital exchanges are maintained by the movements of the joint which act as a pump. Therefore, it is important to regularly move your joints, without excess, but mobilizing as much as possible all parts of your body.
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