JOINTS

Defined as a connection between two bones in the skeleton.

Can be classified according to their structure, by their mobility, and according to their
range of motion.

CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO STRUCTURE

I. SYNOVIAL JOINT

The most common joint found in the human body.

Characteristic features/structures of synovial joints:

A. Articular capsule. This capsule consists of an outer fibrous layer which helps us to
stabilize the joint and an inner synovial layer which absorbs and secretes synovial fluid
lubricating the joint.

B. Articular surfaces are covered in hyaline cartilage. This cartilage is also known
as articular cartilage and acts to reduce friction and assists in shock absorption.

C. Articular discs. We can see examples of these in the knee joint – the medial and
lateral menisci.

D. Bursae, which are small sacs lined by synovial membrane and filled with synovial
fluid. The bursae act to reduce friction caused by muscles and tendons which are
located over bony joints.

II. FIBROUS JOINT

The bones are bound by a tough fibrous connective tissue. These joints exhibit little to
no mobility.

The types of fibrous joints:

A. Sutures, which are fibrous joints found exclusively between the bones of the skull.
which is the coronal suture. This suture connects the frontal bone to the parietal bones
via suture ligaments.

B. Gomphosis, which is found in the mouth where the roots of the teeth articulate with
the dental alveoli at the dentoalveolar joints. The tooth is bound into its socket by the
strong periodontal ligament
C. Syndesmosis which is formed by ligaments and a strong membrane that holds two
bones in place. Example is the interosseous membrane that runs between the radius
and the ulna.

III. CARTILAGINOUS JOINT

The bones are connected by a fibrocartilage or hyaline cartilage.

Two types:

A. Synchondroses or primary cartilaginous joint where the bones are connected by

hyaline cartilage. this type of joint is found between the diaphysis and the epiphysis of
a growing long bone and will eventually become completely ossified in adulthood.

B. Symphyses or secondary cartilaginous joint where the bones are connected by

fibrocartilage. This type of joint is found primarily along the midline of the body.

CLASSIFICATION OF JOINTS ACCORDING TO MOBILITY

A Diarthrosis is a freely mobile joint, and an example of this is the knee joint which is
a synovial hinge joint.

B. Amphiarthrosis is a slightly mobile joint, and an example of this is the pubic

symphysis which is a secondary cartilaginous joint. The syndesmosis, which is a
fibrous joint, is also an example of an amphiarthrosis.

C. Synarthrosis which is an immobile joint and an example of this is the coronal

suture of the skull. Other examples of this type of joint include the gomphosis, which is
a fibrous joint, and the synchondrosis, which is a primary cartilaginous joint. Keep in
mind that although a joint may be slightly mobile, it does not perform functional
movements; therefore, when we talk about range of motion, we'll be talking about our
freely mobile diarthroses or our synovial joints.

TYPE OF JOINTS ACCORDING TO RANGE OF MOTION

A. BALL-AND-SOCKET JOINT, which is also known as the spheroid joint., the

most mobile of all joint types. The movements that occur at these joints are
flexion and extension. Two examples:
1. Acetabulofemoral joint, otherwise known as the hip joint
2. Glenohumeral joint or the shoulder joint.
B. HINGE JOINT the movements that occur at this joint are flexion and extension.
Two examples:
1. Tibiofemoral joint or the knee joint
2. Elbow joint

C. PIVOT JOINTS also known as rotary joints where the movement is rotation.
The best example of this is the atlantoaxial joint, which occurs between the
anterior arch of the atlas and the front of the odontoid process of the axis. The
atlantoaxial joint allows you to shake your head.

D. CONDYLAR JOINT, which is also known as the ellipsoid joint.

An example of this joint is the radiocarpal joint or the wrist joint. The movements
that take place at this joint are radial deviation and ulnar deviation These
movements combine to produce circumduction of the wrist joint.

E. SADDLE JOINT The bones involved here meet at the concave articular
surface of one bone and the convex articular surface of the other and this is the
connection that forms the saddle-shaped articulation. The movements that
take place at this joint are abduction, adduction, flexion, extension,
circumduction.
An example of such a joint is the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb, which is the
joint necessary for the opposition of the thumb.

F. PLANE JOINT which is also known as the gliding joint. This type of joint is
unlike the other joints it doesn't move around an axis and only permits
movement along the plane of the articular surface. The plane joint performs a
sliding or a gliding movement where one bone moves across the surface of
another. An example of this joint is the acromioclavicular joint, which increases
the flexibility of the shoulder.
SPECIFIC FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS JOINT STABILITY:

1. Degree of contact between the two articulating surfaces.

With less contact, the joint is more mobile but less stable. A good example of
this is the glenohumeral joint where the humeral head is much larger than the
glenoid fossa resulting in less contact between the two bones.

2. Presence of ligaments.
Ligaments increase the stability of the joint, but they also restrict movement

3. Tone of the surrounding muscles.

The best example of this is the rotator cuff muscles, which stabilize the
glenohumeral joint. If there is a loss of tone such as seen in old age, the
shoulder will be more susceptible to dislocation.