Joints

 Places where bones meet

 Classified structurally by anatomy
 Classified structurally by motion
Structural Classification
 Based on material between bones
 Fibrous joints- no cavity just fiberous
Connective tissue
 Cartilaginous joints- bones held together
by cartilage
 Synovial joints- have synovial cavity and
dense irregular tissue of articular capsule
and often ligaments
Functional Joints
 Synarthrosis- immoveable
 pelvis, sutures,, teeth
 Amphiarthrosis- slight movement
 Epiphysis, tibia-fibula, vertebrae
and pelvic symphysis
 Diarthroses- free movement= synovial
 defined by movement
Fibrous Joints
 Little or no movement
 Suture- e.g. skull (synarthrosis)
 joined by thin layer of dense
fibrous connective tissue
 Syndesmosis- e.g.tibia & fibula=
amphiarthrosis
 Greater distance and amount of
dense fibrous material
 Gomphosis- e.g. tooth root in socket =
synarthrosis

Cartilaginous joint
 Synchondrosis- hyaline cartilage
 E.g epiphyseal plate = synarthrosis
 Symphysis-fibrocartilage join
 E.g. pubic symphysis and intervertebral
joints = amphiarthrosis

Bursae
 Located where friction can occur
 E.g. between skin & bone or bone &
tendons, ligaments or other bones
 Structurally similar to joint capsules-
Contain synovial membrane and fluid.

Synovial Joints
 Synovial cavity
 Articular cartilage
 Articular capsule-
 Inner layer = synovial secretory
membrane
 Synovial fluid
 Ligaments
 Some contain menisci
Types of Motions at synovial joints
 Gliding-
flat bone surfaces moving across each other
 Flexion-
decrease in angle between articulating bones
 Extension-
Increase in angle between articulating bones
 Hyperextension
Bending beyond 180° degrees e.g. moving
humerus backwards behind anatomical
position
 Abduction-
Movement of bone away from midline
 Adduction-
Movement of bone toward midline
 Circumduction-
Movement of distal end in a circle
 Rotation-
Bone revolves around its own longitudinal axis
Special Movements
 Elevation- lift upward
 Depression- downward movement
 Protraction - movement forward
 Retraction- movement back to
anatomical position
 Inversion- move of soles medially
 Eversion- move soles laterally
 Dorsiflexion- bending of foot toward
dorsum
 Plantar flexion- bend foot toward
plantar surface
 Supination- movement of forearm so
palms face forward or upward
 Pronation- movement of forearm so
palms face backward or downward
 Types of Synovial Joints
 Planar joints- articulating surfaces flat
or slightly curved
 Hinge joints- convex to concave surface
Only do flexion and extension
 Pivot joints-rounded surface with ring
formed by bone and ligament
e.g. atlantoaxial joint
Types of Synovial Joints
 Condyloid joints conves oval surface to
concave oval service
 e.g. wrist & metacarpophyangeal
joints
 Saddle joints- one side saddle shaped
other sits astride it
 Ball & socket joints- ball like surface
into cup like socket surface
 Can do flexion/extension,
adduction/adduction & rotation
Aging of Joints
 Slowing of synovial fluid production
 Thinning of articular cartilage
 Ligaments shorten and lose flexibility
 Influenced by genetic factors