Function

• Joints are places where bones are joined with tough tissues called ligaments that are flexible, allowing the body to move and bend.
  
  

Causes

• Joint aches are often caused by an inflammation of the tissue around the joint due to trauma or repetitive use; a breakdown of the connective tissues in joints due to conditions like arthritis increase the chances of joint aches.
  
  

Risk Factors

• Certain risk factors increase the changes of joint aches including age, weight and physical-activity level; athletes may have problems with joint aches due to training too hard.
  
  

Treatment

• The proper treatment for joint pain will depend on the exact cause, which should be diagnosed by a doctor. Aches caused by physical activity will often clear upon resting the affected joint and avoiding activity for a few weeks.
  
  

Prevention

• It may be possible to prevent joint aches in some cases by wearing properly fitting shoes, using supportive equipment such as braces and doing physical-therapy exercises to strengthen the muscles and tendons surrounding joints.