Improving and Increasing Synovial Fluid

Synovial fluid is 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 like osteoarthritis.

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 like rheumatoid arthritis or gout.

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:

• Painful
• Inflamed
• Red or discolored
• Warm to the touch

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:

• The fluid's physical qualities (color, thickness, viscosity), which can reveal inflammation
• Its chemical makeup, to look for changes that may be related to a disease process
• Microscopic contents that are undesirable, such as crystals (which indicate gout) and bacteria (which indicate infection)

This tells your healthcare provider whether treatment is needed for abnormal synovial fluid.

Exercising to Improve Synovial Fluid

Joints that are highly movable are called synovial joints. When these joints are healthy, the bones slide against each other without friction or pain.

This is possible because the bones are cushioned by cartilage, a soft tissue called the synovium or synovial membrane, and synovial fluid (which is made by the synovial membrane).

The synovial joints include your:

• Shoulders
• Elbows
• Wrists
• Hips
• Knees

Studies show that exercise helps synovial fluid and nutrients in the synovium move around better. Synovial fluid analysis reveals fewer markers of inflammation and 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:

• Stretching
• Strength training
• Quadricep squats
• Knee flexion
• Heel raises
  

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:

• Dark, leafy vegetables
• Omega-3 fatty acids (found in salmon, mackerel, and flaxseeds)
• Curcumin (a compound found in the spice turmeric)
• High antioxidant foods (onions, garlic, green tea, and berries)
• Nuts and seeds

Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider before making dietary changes.

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:

• Omega-3 fatty acids such as fish oil, which lowers inflammation
• Glycosaminoglycans, which keep joints hydrated and lubricated; Glucosamine and chondroitin are two examples
• Methionine, which is an amino acid your body uses to grow and heal
• Collagen, which your body uses to make cartilage
  

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

Viscosupplementation injections contain hyaluronic acid, 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 in platelets. 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.

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.