According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the U.S. National Institutes of Health, joint pain may be caused by numerous types of injuries or conditions, and can affect a person's activities of daily living. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that joint pain can affect one or more joints, and that common causes of joint pain include trauma and inflammation. Internal joint derangement may also cause joint pain.
Trauma
Trauma-induced joint pain is a common type of joint pain, and often occurs during athletic participation or following motor vehicle accidents. According to the MayoClinic.com, trauma-induced joint pain may involve damage and injury to any of the ligaments, tendons, muscles or other tissues--including the bursae, which are fluid-filled sacs that help decrease friction between tendons and bones--surrounding the joint. A ligament, tendon or muscle tear around a joint will cause immediate pain and swelling, and will limit joint range of motion. Fractures or broken bones associated with traumatic injuries may also cause joint swelling and pain. An injured joint swells because fluid builds up in the soft tissues around the joint. Instead of the joint's usual firm, sturdy feel, it will feel puffy and soft following injury. The severity of trauma-related joint pain depends on the type and location of injury.
Inflammation
Inflammatory conditions affecting the body's joints can cause pain or discomfort. Two of the most common inflammatory disorders causing joint pain are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term disease that leads to painful inflammation of the joints and neighboring tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis typically affects joints on both sides of the body, and is more common in women than men. Rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, and often affects the wrists, fingers, knees, feet and ankles. UMM notes that the course and severity of rheumatoid arthritis varies considerably between individuals.
The MayoClinic.com states that osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis, is the most common type of arthritis, and occurs when joint cartilage wears down over time. Osteoarthritis is characterized by joint pain, tenderness, stiffness and loss of flexibility. Joints commonly affected by osteoarthritis include the hands, hips, knees, neck and lower back. While osteoarthritis worsens over time and no cure exists, osteoarthritis treatments may help relieve joint pain and allow a person to stay active.
Internal Derangement
Internal joint derangement can cause joint pain. Examples of internal joint derangement include fluid accumulation within the joint following injury, ligament and cartilage tears, loose bodies such as bone or cartilage floating in the joint space and meniscoid entrapment. According to the University of Washington Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, excessive fluid accumulation within a joint, also known as joint effusion, may cause a person to experience pain or a tense swelling. Ligament and cartilage tears are common, especially within the knee joint, and often involve one or both of the cruciate ligaments and menisci that compose the knee joint. Occasionally, a piece of bone or cartilage will break away from the joint structures and float in the joint space. Loose bodies in the joint space may lead to pain and a locked joint. According to the Soft Tissue Treatment website, meniscoid entrapment--which involves the trapping of joint cartilage between two joint surfaces--may cause joint pain and inflammation and restrict joint range of motion.
