Alcohol & Sore Tendons

Tendons are the part of a joint that connects muscle to bone. When joints move, tendons move along with them. Drinking alcoholic beverages can cause sore tendons and sore joints.

Gout

• A study done at Massachusetts General Hospital linked alcohol consumption to the development of gout, a condition causing sore joints that primarily affects men.

Cause

• Gout occurs when uric acid builds up in the joints. Alcohol causes uric acid buildup by both reducing the amount of uric acid removed from the body through the kidneys and increasing the body's production of uric acid.

Conflicting Theories

• Some doctors from a Massachusetts General Hospital study, reported on Bupa.co.uk, theorized beer causes vulnerability to gout, due to purines, a nonalcoholic ingredient in beer. Not all doctors from the study agreed with this theory, stating that evidence supporting it was weak and that vulnerability depends on other lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise.

General Soreness

• In addition to gout, alcohol can cause general joint soreness. Sore joints and sore tendons can be caused by dehydration, a condition alcohol can trigger.

Prevention

• To avoid dehydration and joint soreness, drink water when consuming alcohol. Juice, coffee, tea and soda can have the same dehydrating effects as alcohol, so don’t substitute these beverages for water when trying to stay hydrated.