Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsExerciseExercising to Improve Synovial FluidDietary ChangesSupplementsMedical Treatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Exercise
Exercising to Improve Synovial Fluid
Dietary Changes
Supplements
Medical Treatments
Synovial fluidis a thick fluid with an egg-white-like consistency that lubricates and reduces friction between joints. When synovial fluid is low, which tends to happen with age, it can contribute to joint stiffness and other aging-related joint conditions likeosteoarthritis.
The makeup of synovial fluid can also provide information about joint diseases and may be extracted and analyzed to check for signs of infection, bleeding, or inflammatory diseases likerheumatoid arthritisorgout.
This article describes what synovial fluid is, what is involved in synovial fluid analysis, and ways to supplement synovial fluid levels with exercise, diet, nutritional supplements, and injections of hyaluronic acid or platelet-rich plasma.
Do You Have Low Synovial Fluid?
You won’t know whether your synovial fluid’s quality is normal unless your healthcare provider orders synovial fluid analysis.
Those tests can tell your healthcare provider what’s going on inside your joint(s). You’re a candidate for synovial fluid analysis if your joint is:
Typically, the provider will give you a local anesthetic to kill pain at the site, then use a needle to draw out synovial fluid. The tests look at:
This tells your healthcare provider whether treatment is needed for abnormal synovial fluid.
All About Synovial Fluid Analysis
Joints that are highly movable are called synovial joints. When these joints are healthy, the bones slide against each other without friction or pain.
The synovial joints include your:
Studies show that exercise helps synovial fluid and nutrients in the synovium move around better.Synovial fluid analysis reveals fewer markers ofinflammationand joint problems after exercise, as well.
So while it doesn’t actually increase the amount of synovial fluid you have, exercise appears to help it function and improve its quality.
Any physical activity is good for your body. Some exercises that are especially good for your joints are:
You should always talk to your healthcare provider before starting an exercise regimen. If you have a lot of joint pain or limited movement, you may benefit from working with aphysical therapist.
Dietary Changes That Increase Synovial Fluid
Eating foods that are good for your joints can help your body produce more synovial fluid. This helps keep your joints healthy and might help lower your joint pain.
Some foods known to help with synovial fluid production are:
Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider before making dietary changes.
What Foods Are Good for Arthritis?
Nutritional Supplements That Increase Synovial Fluid
Some nutritional supplements have been shown to increase synovial fluid. They won’t cure joint conditions, but they might help alleviate your pain.
Supplements that are good for your joints include:
Even natural treatments can cause unwanted side effects and drug interactions, and they may not be safe for everyone. Always check with your healthcare provider before taking nutritional supplements. Your pharmacist is also an excellent resource for checking on possible interactions.
Supplements for Joint Pain
Medical Treatments That Increase Synovial Fluid
Your healthcare provider may recommend a type of injection to help protect your joints or alleviate joint pain. The specific treatments may vary depending on your diagnosis.
Viscosupplementation Injections
Viscosupplementationinjections containhyaluronicacid, which is essential for healthy synovial fluid. It’s called viscosupplementation because hyaluronic acid gives synovial fluid its viscosity (thickness and stickiness).
Inflammation leads to lower amounts of hyaluronic acid in the synovial fluid. Studies suggest replacing it with injections right into the joint, where it’s needed, can help alleviate joint pain.
Depending on the severity of your pain and how well the treatment works, you may get several injections over the course of a few months.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
Platelet-rich plasma(PRP) is another type of injection for easing joint pain. It’s considered a regenerative medicine treatment because it helps your body repair damage.
Before you start the treatment, your healthcare provider will have some blood drawn and processed into a fluid called plasma, which is high inplatelets. Platelets are blood cells that are essential for healing.
Your provider then injects the fluid into your joint. They may use an ultrasound to make sure the shot gets the fluid in just the right place.
More studies need to be done to make sure this treatment works as suspected. Some early studies have suggested PRP treatment is at least as helpful for osteoarthritis as hyaluronic acid injections.
Cartilage Regeneration for Arthritis
Summary
Synovial fluid helps your joints move easily. As you age, you’ll have less synovial fluid. Your joints will not be able to move as well and the parts may rub together.
When this happens, the joints can get damaged and cause you pain. You might also have less joint fluid if you have a condition like arthritis.
Regular exercise, a healthy diet, nutritional supplements, and joint injections may all help improve or increase synovial fluid and decrease joint pain and inflammation.
How Your Joints Work
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arthritis Foundation.8 ways exercise helps your joints.Zhang SL, Liu HQ, Xu XZ, Zhi J, Geng JJ, Chen J.Effects of exercise therapy on knee joint function and synovial fluid cytokine levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis.Mol Med Rep. 2013;7(1):183-186. doi:10.3892/mmr.2012.1168Castrogiovanni P, Trovato FM, Loreto C, et al.Nutraceutical supplements in the management and prevention of osteoarthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(12):2042. doi:10.3390/ijms17122042Tamer TM.Hyaluronan and synovial joint: function, distribution and healing.Interdiscip Toxicol. 2013;6(3):111-125. doi:10.2478/intox-2013-0019Belk JW, Kraeutler MJ, Houck DA, et al.Platelet-rich plasma versus hyaluronic acid for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Am J Sports Med. 2021;49(1):249-260. doi:10.1177/0363546520909397Additional ReadingNational Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Synovial fluid analysis.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Arthritis Foundation.8 ways exercise helps your joints.Zhang SL, Liu HQ, Xu XZ, Zhi J, Geng JJ, Chen J.Effects of exercise therapy on knee joint function and synovial fluid cytokine levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis.Mol Med Rep. 2013;7(1):183-186. doi:10.3892/mmr.2012.1168Castrogiovanni P, Trovato FM, Loreto C, et al.Nutraceutical supplements in the management and prevention of osteoarthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(12):2042. doi:10.3390/ijms17122042Tamer TM.Hyaluronan and synovial joint: function, distribution and healing.Interdiscip Toxicol. 2013;6(3):111-125. doi:10.2478/intox-2013-0019Belk JW, Kraeutler MJ, Houck DA, et al.Platelet-rich plasma versus hyaluronic acid for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Am J Sports Med. 2021;49(1):249-260. doi:10.1177/0363546520909397Additional ReadingNational Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Synovial fluid analysis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Arthritis Foundation.8 ways exercise helps your joints.Zhang SL, Liu HQ, Xu XZ, Zhi J, Geng JJ, Chen J.Effects of exercise therapy on knee joint function and synovial fluid cytokine levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis.Mol Med Rep. 2013;7(1):183-186. doi:10.3892/mmr.2012.1168Castrogiovanni P, Trovato FM, Loreto C, et al.Nutraceutical supplements in the management and prevention of osteoarthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(12):2042. doi:10.3390/ijms17122042Tamer TM.Hyaluronan and synovial joint: function, distribution and healing.Interdiscip Toxicol. 2013;6(3):111-125. doi:10.2478/intox-2013-0019Belk JW, Kraeutler MJ, Houck DA, et al.Platelet-rich plasma versus hyaluronic acid for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Am J Sports Med. 2021;49(1):249-260. doi:10.1177/0363546520909397
Arthritis Foundation.8 ways exercise helps your joints.
Zhang SL, Liu HQ, Xu XZ, Zhi J, Geng JJ, Chen J.Effects of exercise therapy on knee joint function and synovial fluid cytokine levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis.Mol Med Rep. 2013;7(1):183-186. doi:10.3892/mmr.2012.1168
Castrogiovanni P, Trovato FM, Loreto C, et al.Nutraceutical supplements in the management and prevention of osteoarthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(12):2042. doi:10.3390/ijms17122042
Tamer TM.Hyaluronan and synovial joint: function, distribution and healing.Interdiscip Toxicol. 2013;6(3):111-125. doi:10.2478/intox-2013-0019
Belk JW, Kraeutler MJ, Houck DA, et al.Platelet-rich plasma versus hyaluronic acid for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Am J Sports Med. 2021;49(1):249-260. doi:10.1177/0363546520909397
National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Synovial fluid analysis.
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