Hydration and Joint Health: Why Drinking Water Is Key to Staying Active
Understanding Joints and Their Function
“A joint is a region where 2 bones make contact. Joints may be classified histologically or functionally. Histological classification is based on the predominant connective tissue type composing the joint, either fibrous, cartilaginous, or synovial. Functional classification is based on the amount of movement the joint permits. The 3 functional joint types include immovable synarthrosis, slightly moveable amphiarthrosis, and freely moveable diarthrosis. The 2 joint classification schemes correlate: synarthroses are fibrous, amphiarthroses are cartilaginous, and diarthroses are synovial,” as defined in an article published by the National Center of Biotechnology Information.
Types of Joints
Joints are the areas where two or more bones meet as part of the skeletal system. Most joints are movable or mobile, yet some are fixed and don’t have any mobility. The human body has many types of joints based on their mobility, function, and use.
Ball-and-socket Joints
The Ball-and-socket joints are the joints that provide forward, backward, sideways, and rotating movements.
Example - The shoulder and hip joints
Hinge joints
The Hinge joints are the joints that give us only bending and straightening movements in a single direction
Example - The fingers, knees, elbows, and toe joints
Pivot joints
Pivot joints are the joints of the human body that allow limited rotating movements.
Example - The neck joints
Ellipsoidal joints
Ellipsoidal joints permit all types of movement except pivotal movements.
Example - The wrist joints
How Water Supports Joint Health
Water is an essential element for the human body; more than 50% of the average adult's body is water, so water is vital for various body functions. The various joints of the human body are lubricated for smoother functioning. Joints, where two more bones come together to form a joint, need lubricant between them.
In these joints, there is an articular cartilage with a special synovial fluid. Synovial fluid is the thick fluid-like liquid that lubricates joints and allows them smooth movement. It is primarily made of water with hyaluronic acid and other molecules that get stored while joints are at rest in the articular cartilage, like water that gets soaked in a sponge. Once the joints move, bend, or bear weight, then the synovial fluid is squeezed out and keeps the joints lubricated, smoother, and healthy.
Can Dehydration Cause Joint and Muscle Pain?
As the synovial fluid is primarily made of water, if an individual is not well hydrated, then the synovial fluid's present volume will go down to a lower volume, resulting in the joint movement being abrasive, discomfort, and sometimes painful. Even the cartilage of joints is also a high water-content tissue, so it may also get weakened and damaged due to dehydration. Lack of hydration may cause a decrease in joint lubrication and results in everyday joint pain and stiffness.
“Moderate dehydration [loss of ≤ 2% of body mass] can adversely affect the maximum muscular strength. The adverse effects of dehydration seem to be overcome by a 2-hour rest period and water consumption. The results of this study were that dehydration [1% loss of body mass] reduced muscular strength by 1.2% handgrip, 3.7 %biceps, and 3.3% leg strength,” as published in the Journal of Clinical and Medical Images entitled ‘Effects of Passive Dehydration on Muscular Strength.’
Hydration helps muscle strength as muscles primarily comprise water, representing approximately 76% of muscle mass. Human muscle strength is based on electrolyte balance, whereas the body gets electrolytes from drinking water. Dehydration is a state when the body's water content is insufficient, and the muscles may weaken and lose control. It results in loss of body mass and muscle strength that subsequently results in stiffness, impaired muscle function, muscle pain, and increased susceptibility to cramps and soreness.
Staying Active with Proper Hydration for Healthy Joints
Joint health is vital for the proper functioning of our body movement. Regular physical activity helps to keep the joints healthy; however, it also dehydrates the body by causing it to lose water through sweat.
In order to restore the hydration state and replenish fluids lost through sweat, one needs to drink more water and regain muscle strength and joint lubrication. Water intake helps to protect the joints by keeping muscles healthy so that they can further support them. Water energizes the muscles and promotes recovery after strenuous exercise or physical activities. It acts as a lubricant within the joints to maintain the viscosity of the synovial fluid, which supports the joint’s cushioning and prevents stiffness and pain.
Athletes and individuals who are physically active should maintain their hydration before, during, and after exercise or activity to support joint health, muscle strength, and overall physical performance.
RO Water and Its Benefits for Joint Health
Frequent pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility are common symptoms of poor joint health. It is suggested that the hydration level be balanced and maintained according to the body's requirements and physical activities. Water helps maintain body hydration, develop muscles, and enhance joint motion to function smoothly. The reverse osmosis system is a way to get pure water dispensed conveniently from the tap and more easily establish a healthy routine to stay hydrated.
Dehydration and joint pain are connected as dehydration reduces the synovial fluid volume in the joints. The synovial fluid works as the lubricant and is responsible for the smoother movement of different joints in the body. As dehydration increases due to low water intake, joint mobility decreases, resulting in joint pain. It is suggested that a multi-stage water filtration reverse osmosis system with remineralization technology be installed for domestic use, which dispenses pure mineral water for healthy joints. It helps improve the body's water and fluid, maintains the joint's lubrication, and prevents discomfort and pain.
Conclusion
Water is an essential and integral part of the human body that enriches the Synovial fluid of joints. Dehydration can decrease synovial fluid from joints, cause joint pain, and reduce joint mobility. Regular hydration with mineral-rich water maintains synovial fluid volume and provides smoother mobility. A healthy habit of drinking mineral-rich pure drinking water is a great practice for healthy bone, muscle, muscle strength, and joint mobility. Preferring a water filtration system or reverse osmosis system that dispenses pure water with essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, copper, sulfur, zinc, iron, potassium, and more can benefit joint mobility and muscle strength. Keeping the body hydrated gives many benefits, so follow a routine of drinking pure water daily.