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Joints of the Body - Anatomy & Physiology

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Terms in this set (28)

  • What is a joint (articulation)?
    A joint or articulation is a place where two or more bones come together and touch, usually covered by cartilage.
  • What are the three structural classifications of joints?
    Joints are classified structurally as fibrous, cartilaginous, or synovial based on the tissues connecting the bones.
  • Characteristics of fibrous joints
    Fibrous joints connect bones with fibrous connective tissue, are very strong, and allow no or very little movement.
  • Types of fibrous joints
    The three types are sutures (skull), syndesmosis (e.g., tibia-fibula), and gomphosis (tooth in jaw).
  • Characteristics of cartilaginous joints
    Cartilaginous joints connect bones with cartilage, allowing limited movement and include synchondrosis and symphysis types.
  • What is a synchondrosis joint?
    A synchondrosis is a cartilaginous joint where bones are joined by hyaline cartilage, such as epiphyseal growth plates in growing bones.
  • Where are symphysis joints found and their features?
    Symphysis joints are found in the midline of the body, contain a fibrocartilaginous disc, and allow slight movement (e.g., pubic symphysis).
  • What defines a synovial joint?
    Synovial joints have a fluid-filled cavity, articular cartilage, an articular capsule with fibrous and synovial membrane layers, and ligaments.
  • Five key features of synovial joints
    They include articular cartilage, synovial cavity, articular capsule (fibrous outer layer and synovial membrane), synovial fluid, and ligaments.
  • Types of synovial joints based on movement axes
    Synovial joints are classified as non-axial (planar), mono-axial (hinge, pivot), bi-axial (condyloid, saddle), and multi-axial (ball and socket).
  • Example and movement of planar (non-axial) joints
    Planar joints have flat surfaces allowing small gliding movements in multiple directions, e.g., intercarpal joints in the wrist.
  • Characteristics of hinge joints
    Hinge joints are mono-axial, allowing movement in one plane such as flexion and extension, e.g., the elbow joint.
  • Function of pivot joints
    Pivot joints are mono-axial and allow rotational movement around a single axis, e.g., the proximal radioulnar joint enabling pronation and supination.
  • Movements allowed by condyloid joints
    Condyloid joints are bi-axial, allowing flexion-extension and abduction-adduction, e.g., the wrist joint.
  • Where are saddle joints found and their movement?
    Saddle joints are bi-axial, allowing flexion-extension and abduction-adduction, found at the base of the thumb.
  • Movements allowed by ball and socket joints
    Ball and socket joints are multi-axial, allowing flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, rotation, and circumduction, e.g., shoulder and hip joints.
  • What is the glenoid labrum and its function?
    The glenoid labrum is a fibrocartilaginous rim around the glenoid cavity that deepens the socket to improve shoulder joint stability.
  • Why does the shoulder joint have a redundant capsule?
    The loose or redundant capsule allows the shoulder to achieve its large range of motion, especially during abduction up to 180 degrees.
  • Main source of shoulder joint stability
    Most shoulder stability comes from the rotator cuff muscles, as the bony and ligamentous support is relatively weak.
  • What ligaments stabilize the knee joint?
    The knee is stabilized by collateral ligaments (fibular and tibial) on the sides and cruciate ligaments (anterior and posterior) inside the joint.
  • Function of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
    The ACL prevents anterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur.
  • Function of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)
    The PCL prevents posterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur.
  • What are menisci and their role in the knee?
    Menisci are fibrocartilaginous discs that provide shock absorption and improve joint congruency in the knee.
  • Why do medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries often involve the medial meniscus?
    The MCL (tibial collateral ligament) is attached to the medial meniscus, so injuries often damage both structures together.
  • What type of joint is the ankle (talocrural) joint and its movements?
    The ankle is a hinge joint allowing only plantarflexion and dorsiflexion; inversion and eversion occur at other foot joints.
  • What is the function of the annular ligament at the elbow?
    The annular ligament holds the head of the radius in place, allowing it to pivot during pronation and supination.
  • What type of joint is the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and its movements?
    The TMJ is a biaxial condyloid synovial joint allowing elevation-depression and protraction-retraction of the jaw.
  • What is the sacroiliac joint and its classification?
    The sacroiliac joint is a planar synovial joint between the auricular surfaces of the sacrum and ilium, allowing very limited movement.