joints in the human and their functions
Types of synovial joints
1. Gliding joints, 2. Saddle joints, 3. Hinge joints, 4. Pivot joints, 5. Ball and socket joints, 6. Ellipsoid joints
Condyloid Joint
A condyloid joint (also called condylar, ellipsoidal, or bicondylar) is an ovoid articular surface, or condyle that is received into an elliptical cavity. This permits movement in two planes, allowing flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, and circumduction.
Gliding Joint
A gliding joint, also known as a plane joint or planar joint, is a common type of synovial joint formed between bones that meet at flat or nearly flat articular surfaces. Gliding joints allow the bones to glide past one another in any direction along the plane of the joint - up and down, left and right, and diagonally.
Hinged Joint
A hinge joint is a common class of synovial joint that includes the ankle, elbow, and knee joints. Hinge joints are formed between two or more bones where the bones can only move along one axis to flex or extend.
Joint ligaments
A ligament is the tissue that connects two bones to form a joint. It's tough and fibrous, which means that when it tears, a ligament can take quite a while to heal and might even require surgery. Ligament comes from the Latin ligare meaning "to bind, tie," which is precisely what a ligament does.
Pivot Joint
A pivot joint (trochoid joint, rotary joint, lateral ginglymus) is a type of synovial joint. In pivot joints, the axis of a convex articular surface is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the bone.
Saddle Joint
A saddle joint is a synovial joint where one of the bones forming the joint is shaped like a saddle with the other bone resting on it like a rider on a horse. Saddle joints provide stability to the bones while providing more flexibility than a hinge or gliding joint.
Synovial joints
A synovial joint, also known as diarthrosis, joins bones with a fibrous joint capsule that is continuous with the periosteum of the joined bones, constitutes the outer boundary of a synovial cavity, and surrounds the bones' articulating surfaces. The synovial (or joint) cavity is filled with synovial fluid.
Joint articulation (how the bones of the joint fit together)
An articulation, or joint, is usually formed of fibrous connective tissue and cartilage. Joints are grouped according to their motion: a ball and socket joint; a hinge joint; a condyloid joint (a joint that permits all forms of angular movement except axial rotation); a pivot joint; gliding joint; and a saddle joint.
Key synovial joints of the body
Ankle Tibia, fibula and tarsals Plantar flexion, dorsiflexion, inversion, eversion, supination and pronation
Cartilagenous Joint
Cartilaginous joints are connected entirely by cartilage (fibrocartilage or hyaline). Cartilaginous joints allow more movement between bones than a fibrous joint but less than the highly mobile synovial joint.
Key synovial joints of the body
Elbow Humerus, radius and ulna Flexion and extension
Key synovial joints of the body
Hip Femur and pelvis Flexion, extension, horizontal flexion, horizontal extension, abduction, adduction, rotation and circumduction
Key synovial joints of the body
Intervertabral Vertabrae Flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation
Key synovial joints of the body
Knee Femur, patella, tibia and fibula Flexion and Extension
Condition of muscles and tendons around a joint
Muscles and tendons also serve to protect joints from excessive movement. Examples can be seen at one of the most mobile joints in the body, the shoulder. Here the extra mobility of the shoulder, due to the shallow socket and lack of bony congruence, requires additional support from the muscles and tendons around it. The shoulder joint gets this additional support from the rotator cuff muscles and their tendons. This group of muscles provides stability and protection to make up for the lack of 'bony congruence'
Key synovial joints of the body
Neck C1, C2 and skull Rotation
Key synovial joints of the body
Sacroiliac Sacrum and ilium Very limited range due to strong ligaments
Key synovial joints of the body
Shoulder Humerus, scapula and clavicle Flexion, extension, horizontal flexion, horizontal extension, abduction, adduction, rotation, circumduction, elevation, depression, protraction and retraction
Fibrous Joint
These joints have no joint cavity and are connected via fibrous connective tissue. The skull bones are connected by fibrous joints. Sutures are found between bones of the skull. In fetal skulls the sutures are wide to allow slight movement during birth. They later become rigid (synarthrodial).
Key synovial joints of the body
Wrist Radius, ulna and carpals Flexion, extension, abduction, adduction and circumduction
Ball-and-Socket Joint
noun a natural or manufactured joint or coupling, such as the hip joint, in which a partially spherical end lies in a socket, allowing multidirectional movement and rotation.
