07/27/2026
ACHY JOINTS!?
How often do we hear โjoint pain, popping/cracking joints, bone on bone, KNEE REPLACEMENTโฆ?โ
I hear it all the time, even from those who are younger, under 50!
Hereโs what is happeningโฆ
As collagen is depletedโeither due to aging (starting in our 30โs), disease, or lifestyle factors, our joints undergo several structural and functional changes that can lead to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility and flexibility.
This degeneration process:
โธป
1. Loss of Cartilage Integrity
โข Collagen (mainly type II) is a major component of articular cartilage, which cushions the ends of bones in joints.
โข As collagen degrades, cartilage becomes ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ง๐๐ซ, ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐, reducing its ability to absorb shock and resist wear.
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2. Increased Joint Friction
โข Healthy cartilage provides a smooth, lubricated surface for joint movement.
โข With collagen loss, joint surfaces become rough, increasing friction and ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ง.
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3. Onset and Progression of Osteoarthritis
โข Collagen depletion contributes directly to the degenerative process of osteoarthritis (OA).
โข OA is marked by:
โข ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ
โข Swelling
โข Reduced range of motion
โข Bone spurs (osteophytes)
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4. ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
โข Collagen is also vital in ligaments and tendons, which stabilize joints.
โข Decreased collagen leads to loss of tensile strength, making these structures more prone to injury and joint instability.
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5. ๐๐ป๐ณ๐น๐ฎ๐บ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐
โข Breakdown products of collagen can trigger inflammatory responses, contributing to joint swelling, pain, and tissue degradation.
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6. ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
โข Joints become less responsive to injury repair, as collagen is crucial for tissue regeneration.
โข Healing from strains, sprains, or overuse becomes slower and less complete.
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Common Symptoms from Collagen Depletion in Joints
โข Aching or sharp joint pain
โข Cracking or grinding sounds (crepitus)
โข Morning stiffness
โข Joint instability or โgiving wayโ
โข Reduced flexibility
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๐ฟ๐ค๐ฃโ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฉ ๐
๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ก๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ค๐ช ๐ฟ๐ค๐ฌ๐ฃโ๐๐ช๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐
๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐ช๐ฉ!!
