MODULE SUPPLEMENT: MUSCULO-SKELETAL SYSTEM
Joints, Tendons, and Ligaments

In addition to changes that occur in the muscles themselves, changes occur in the joints as well as in the tendons and ligaments that hold everything together.

Cartilage, which has no blood or nerve supply, lines the joints and provides a smooth surface for joint motion. Compression of cartilage during activities such as ambulation facilitates dispersion of the load to the underlying bone. Both bone and muscle absorb the force of joint loading. Thus, changes in the muscles and bones that alter this function can potentially cause abnormal stresses to be placed on the cartilage, influencing its structure and function.

How do cartilage and the joints change with age?

In the introductory module of this series we met Mr. Smith (note: This link will open in a new window), a 79 year old gentleman who occasionally complained of what he describes as "arthritis" of his right knee.