CONNECTIONS to HEALTH

What makes joints click? All bones are covered by a membrane called periosteum. So when two bones come together in a joint actually it is the two membranes which come together. Now what separates and lubricates the membranes is synovial fluid. This is obviously a simplified picture I'm using to explain a point. Now when a joint has been compressed, or not taken through its full range of motion for a while, then the synovial fluid becomes sticky and the membranes adhere to each other. Think of the membranes and synovial fluid as two rubber suckers with a bit of 'lick' between them. When the membranes are pulled apart by movement in the joint, before the membranes eventually separate there is reduced pressure between them which allows the nitrogen gas that has been dissolved in the synovial fluid to come out of solution. The popping of the gas bubbles is the noise you hear. Think of pulling the two rubber suckers apart and the noise it makes. These adhesions are very important. Depending on which text book you read, anywhere between three months and two years after the development of periosteal adhesions scar tissue sets in restricting the movement and flexibility of the joint. It is one of the many benefits of regular chiropractic to break down the adhesions in the joints before they progress to scar tissue. It is particularly important to keep the facet joints of the spine freely mobile as movement within the facet joints charges the so-called brain battery, providing vital energy to the whole central nervous system. Do you have any clicky joints? Maybe you should book yourself a maintenance treatment for the autumn. Contact Sue, Allyn or Alaine for more information.

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