Lady Gaga announced she will be unable to perform at several of her upcoming shows because of a condition called synovitis that has made it hard for her to work, according to news reports.
HuffPost Entertainment reported that the "Born This Way" singer has canceled performances this week because of the condition. (Click over to their report for more details on the show cancelations.)
I've been hiding a show injury and chronic pain for sometime now,over the past month it has worsened. I've been praying it would heal
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) February 12, 2013
Synovitis is the name for inflammation of the synovial membranes that line the inner joints. Thomas Jefferson University researchers explained in a Birth Defects Research study what exactly the synovial joint is:
Synovial joints are elegant, critically important, and deceptively simple biomechanical structures. They are comprised of articular cartilage that covers each end of the opposing skeletal elements, synovial fluid that lubricates and nourishes the tissues, ligaments that hold the skeletal elements in check, and a fibrous capsule that insulates the joints from surrounding tissues.
Lady Gaga did not specify which parts of her body were experiencing the joint inflammation, though she noted that she is unable to walk right now because of the condition. Synovitis leads to swelling of the joint, which causes feelings of tenderness, the Hospital for Special Surgery reported.
According to the Hemophilia, von Willebrand Disease & Platelet Disorders Handbook, the membrane swells because of repeated joint bleeds. It's treated in a number of different ways, including physical therapy, medications and surgery.
