News Pain uncovered Joint lubricating fluid plays a key role in osteoarthritis pain, according to new research. A team at the University of Cambridge has shown how, in osteoarthritis patients, the viscous lubricant that usually allows our joints to move smoothly, triggers a pain response from nerve cells similar to that caused by chilli peppers. The researchers got synovial fluid from osteoarthritis patients and from those with no known joint condition. They then incubated knee sensory nerves, isolated from mice, in either healthy or osteoarthritis synovial fluid, and Fit for purpose? New research has shown that people with disabilities are not being catered for in gyms. According to 86 per cent of gym owners, the current training to become a personal trainer doesnt equip professionals to work with disabled clients. The report, compiled by Future Fit Training, also found: n 61 per cent of fitness professionals are unsure how much of their customer base has a disability n 18 per cent thought a qualification related to engaging disabled people when recruiting new staff was important, while 36 per cent thought this neither important nor unimportant n Many fitness professionals dont know what constitutes a disability. recorded the activity of these nerves. The team found that, when incubated with osteoarthritic synovial fluid, the nerves in the knees were more excitable. They also showed an increase in the function of TRPV1, which is a molecule that detects the hotness of chilli peppers. Although the presence of inflammatory chemicals in osteoarthritis synovial fluid has been known since 1959, this is the first evidence that synovial fluid can directly excite sensory nerves. This is an important factor when someone experiences pain. DID YOU KNOW? Using infrared light to detect rheumatoid arthritis could offer a better way of diagnosing it* *Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2019; 24 (06) Over the past five years, the universities of Birmingham, Glasgow and Newcastle have formed the Research into Inflammatory Arthritis Centre Versus Arthritis (RACE), to understand why rheumatoid arthritis (RA) starts, why it attacks joints, and why it persists. They also want to understand why treatments dont work for some people. The centre has been awarded more funding from us, which will allow it to continue its research until 2024 and expand to include researchers at the University of Oxford. RACE has been behind some fantastic projects, including: n Exploring interactions between immune cells and tissue cells of the joint, to understand better how persistent inflammation happens and how it can lead to tissue breakdown, and to develop a treatment to prevent this. n A clinical study using dendritic cells (generated from patients white blood cells) injected into the knee to help control inflammation. An initial study showed it is safe to inject these cells, and a second clinical study will track the cells and how they control inflammation in the knee. The centre will continue its work towards delivering better treatments for inflammatory conditions, such as RA and psoriatic arthritis. ISTOCK.COM / DRAGANA991 Funding boost for centre