Joint Pain

Without any particular injury, tissue inside the shoulder undergoes degenerative change and becomes inflamed. It commonly appears after 50, though lately it is far from rare in the 30s and 40s.

The tip of the shoulder blade and the rotator cuff collide, producing pain and inflammation, or part of the rotating muscle group is damaged. Both tend to hurt more at night.

Calcium deposits build up in the tendons around the shoulder, producing inflammation and pain. A sudden stabbing pain is characteristic.

Knee cartilage wears down, damaging bone and ligament and producing inflammation and pain. It is common after middle age, though lately it also appears in the 30s and 40s.

The cartilage beneath the kneecap at the front of the knee weakens and deforms. It mostly appears in middle age, but is far from rare in the 20s and 30s.

A ligament supporting the knee, or the meniscus that absorbs impact, is damaged by trauma. Sudden changes of direction and abrupt stops are frequent causes.

Inflammation in the tendons on the outside of the elbow is tennis elbow; on the inside, golfer's elbow. It develops from heavy use of the arm even without sport.

A chronic condition in which the synovium of the hand, wrist, foot and ankle joints becomes inflamed. The joints it affects differ from those in osteoarthritis.