Joint movement (ROM)

Joint movement is a physiological process involving the displacement of skeletal structures at an articulation point, enabled by the integrated function of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage (StatPearls, 2023). It is not a molecular target, such as a receptor or enzyme, but rather a functional outcome of the musculoskeletal system used to assess physical health and disease progression. In clinical pharmacology and drug development, joint movement (often measured as Range of Motion) serves as a secondary or primary endpoint for drugs targeting underlying pathologies, such as inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis or cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis (NIH, 2022). Therapeutic agents like NSAIDs, corticosteroids, or biologics (e.g., TNF-alpha inhibitors) may improve joint movement by modulating specific molecular pathways, but they do not interact with the 'movement' itself as a target. Consequently, 'Joint movement' is considered an incorrect entry for a molecular target database as it describes a macro-scale mechanical state rather than a druggable biomolecule.

Other names

Range of motionJoint mobilityArticular movementFlexibility

Not applicable as this is a physiological process/clinical endpoint rather than a molecular target.