Synovial fluid can also provide information about joint diseases and may be extracted and analyzed to check for sign of infection, bleeding, or inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or gout.
This article describes what synovial fluid is, what is involved in a 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 for sure whether you have low synovial fluid 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:
PainfulInflamedRed or discoloredWarm 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 inflammationIts chemical makeup, to look for changes that may be related to a disease processMicroscopic contents that are undesirable, such as crystals (which indicate gout) and bacteria (which indicate infection)
This tells your healthcare provider whether you need to increase or improve your synovial fluid and may give them an idea how you can do so.
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:
ShouldersElbowsWristsHipsKnees
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 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.
A Word From Verywell
Joint pain is a normal consequence of some conditions as well as a part of getting older. But that doesn’t mean you have to live with it.
Talk to your healthcare provider about your joint pain and what seems to make it better or worse. That way, they can get you diagnosed and treated before damage becomes severe. In the long run, that can save you from considerable pain and disability.
