Editing Joint (section)

==Clinical significance==
{{Further|Arthropathy|Arthritis|Joint replacement}}
Damaging the cartilage of joints ([[articular cartilage]]) or the bones and muscles that stabilize the joints can lead to [[joint dislocation]]s and osteoarthritis. Swimming is a great way to exercise the joints with minimal damage.<ref name="Saladinp274"/>

A joint disorder is termed [[arthropathy]], and when involving [[inflammation]] of one or more joints the disorder is called [[arthritis]]. Most joint disorders involve arthritis, but joint damage by external [[physical trauma]] is typically not termed arthritis.

Arthropathies are called ''polyarticular'' (multiarticular) when involving many joints and ''monoarticular'' when involving only a single joint.

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 55. There are many different forms of arthritis, each of which has a different cause. The most common form of arthritis, [[osteoarthritis]] (also known as degenerative joint disease), occurs following trauma to the joint, following an [[infection]] of the joint or simply as a result of aging and the deterioration of articular cartilage. Furthermore, there is emerging evidence that abnormal anatomy may contribute to early development of osteoarthritis. Other forms of arthritis are [[rheumatoid arthritis]] and [[psoriatic arthritis]], which are [[autoimmune disorder|autoimmune diseases]] in which the body is attacking itself. [[Septic arthritis]] is caused by joint infection. [[Gout|Gouty arthritis]] is caused by deposition of [[uric acid]] crystals in the joint that results in subsequent inflammation. Additionally, there is a less common form of gout that is caused by the formation of rhomboidal-shaped crystals of [[calcium pyrophosphate]]. This form of gout is known as [[Chondrocalcinosis|pseudogout]].

[[Temporomandibular joint syndrome]] (TMJ) involves the jaw joints and can cause facial pain, clicking sounds in the jaw, or limitation of jaw movement, to name a few symptoms. It is caused by psychological tension and misalignment of the jaw ([[malocclusion]]), and may be affecting as many as 75 million Americans.<ref name="Saladinp274"/>