UNIT 11: JOINTS AND MOVEMENT

11.1. Common terms

• A joint is a point where a bone meets another bone or bones.
• Except for pelvic, sacral, skull and sternal bones, joints allow
movement and provide mechanical support. Muscles pull on
bones to make joints move.
• Bone: Is a hard, tough connective tissue composed of mineral
salts such as calcium and phosphate. It is abundant in all animal
skeletons.
• Cartilage: It is a skeletal connective tissue which is softer than a
bone. It supports the trachea, nose, oesophagus and pinna of the
ear.
• Ligament: This is a fibrous tissue which joins one bone to
another. Ligaments are elastic to allow movement at a joint.
• Tendon: A tough connective tissue which attaches a muscle to a
bone. They are inelastic.
• Muscle: A contractile tissue specialised for contraction and
relaxation. They cover the skeleton. Muscles are responsible for
locomotion and other type of movement in animals.
• A joint (also called an articulation), is a point at which two or
more bones make contact.
11.2. Types of joints
A. Structural classification

(i) Cartilaginous joint- the bones are connected by cartilage.

(ii) Fibrous joint- the bones are connected by dense fibrous
tissue rich in collagen.
(iii) Synovial joint- there is a space between the bones called
synovial cavity that is filled with a fluid known as synovial
fluid.
B. Functional classification
(i) Fixed or Immovable joints-permit very little or no mobility.
• These are joints that do not allow any movement, for example, joints in
the cranium commonly known as sutures. These joints have seams
between the bones of the skull.
(ii) Movable joints-
These are joints that allow
slight or free movement of
body parts to take place.
• Some movable joints allow only a small degree of movement while others
allow a wide range of movement. There are several movable joints, which
include:
(a) Gliding joints
• These joints consist of two opposing flat surfaces that allow slight
amount of gliding motion. They occur between the vertebrae, wrist and
ankle.
(b) Synovial joints
These joints are classified depending on the shape of the adjoining
articular surface. They include:
(i) Saddle joints - comprises of two saddle-shaped articulating
surfaces that are oriented at right angles to each other. Example is
the joint of the thumb.
(ii) Hinge joints- Hinge joints allow movement in one plane. The
joints at the elbow, knee and finger joints show this back-and-
forth movement as the only type of movement.
(iii) Pivot joints
• It consists of a cylindrical like bony process of one bone that
rotates within a ring partially composed of bone and cartilage.
Examples: articulation between the head of radius and the
proximal end of the ulna.
(iv) Ball and socket joint
• It consists of a ball-shaped head end of one bone that fits into
the cavity (socket) of an adjacent bone.
• These types of joints allow the greatest flexibility of movement
of all joints. The shoulder joint and hip joint is an example of a
ball and socket joint.
Structure of a synovial joint
• A synovial joint is characterised by the presence of a fluid-filled joint
cavity contained within a fibrous capsule.
• It is the most common type of joint found in the human body, and contains
several structures which are not seen in fibrous or cartilaginous joints.
• The three main features of a synovial joint are:
(i) articular capsule, (ii) articular cartilage, (iii) synovial fluid.
• The synovial fluid is located within the joint cavity of a synovial joint. It has
three primary functions:
- Lubrication - Nutrient distribution - Shock absorption.
• Articular cartilage is relatively avascular, and is reliant upon the passive
diffusion of nutrients from the synovial fluid.
The table below summarizes the types of joints
 11.3. Action of antagonistic muscles in the movement of a hinge
Joint
• Skeletal muscles occurs in pairs that are antagonistic. This means
that when one contracts, the other relaxes.
• Antagonistic muscles produce opposite movements at a joint.
• For example, in the elbow, the triceps extends (extension) the
forearm while the biceps flexes (flexion) the forearm.
11.4. Practices that promote healthy bones and joints

1. Eating healthy food appropriate for bone health, for

example: Food rich in calcium, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K

2. Avoiding alcohol consumption. Taking alcohol interferes with

the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals. It also results
in an increase in hormones that deplete bone density.

3. Avoiding smoking. Smoking has been shown to cause bone

mass depletion besides many other health problems.
4. Maintaining a healthy body weight and posture. If you are
underweight, you are at a higher risk of bone loss. If you are
overweight, you may be causing extra stress on your joints. This
may put you at risk of developing osteoarthritis.

5. Plenty of physical activity and exercises such running,

walking, dancing, playing soccer, basketball, tennis, jogging,
climbing stairs, etc. They help the body to build more bone mass
and maintain the bone density.