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Anatomy & Physiology: Joints Classification and Structure

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  • What are the three movement categories of joints?
    Synarthrosis (immovable), Amphiarthrosis (slightly movable), and Diarthrosis (freely movable).
  • Give examples of synarthrosis joints.
    Sutures of the skull and the tooth in the jaw.
  • What defines an amphiarthrosis joint?
    Bones are slightly movable, such as the pubic symphysis and radius-to-ulna joint.
  • What is a diarthrosis joint?
    A freely movable joint, examples include the shoulder, thumb, elbow, and knuckles.
  • What are the three structural categories of joints?
    Fibrous, Cartilaginous, and Synovial joints.
  • Describe fibrous joints and their types.
    Linked by dense regular collagenous connective tissue with no joint space; types include suture, gomphosis, and syndesmosis.
  • What is a suture joint?
    An immovable fibrous joint between skull bones.
  • Define gomphosis joint.
    An immovable fibrous joint between a tooth and the mandible or maxilla, linked by the periodontal ligament.
  • What is a syndesmosis joint?
    A slightly movable fibrous joint where bones are united by an interosseous membrane, e.g., radius-ulna or tibia-fibula.
  • Describe cartilaginous joints and their types.
    Joints linked by cartilage with no joint space; types include synchondrosis and symphysis.
  • What is a synchondrosis joint?
    An immovable cartilaginous joint linked by hyaline cartilage, such as the epiphyseal plate or sternocostal joint.
  • Define symphysis joint.
    A slightly movable cartilaginous joint linked by fibrocartilage, e.g., pubic symphysis and intervertebral discs.
  • What characterizes synovial joints?
    Joints with a multilayered synovial capsule and fluid-filled joint space; they are freely movable (diarthroses).
  • List the types of synovial joints from least to most movable.
    Plane, Hinge, Pivot, Condylar, Saddle, and Ball-and-socket.
  • What movement does a plane synovial joint allow?
    Sliding or twisting movements, e.g., intercarpal and intertarsal joints.
  • Describe hinge synovial joints and examples.
    Allow flexion and extension (uniaxial), e.g., elbow, knee, and interphalangeal joints.
  • What is a pivot synovial joint?
    Allows rotation around a single axis (uniaxial), e.g., radioulnar joint at the elbow and dens-at-atlas joint.
  • Define condylar synovial joints with examples.
    Allow flexion/extension and abduction/adduction (biaxial), e.g., radiocarpal and metacarpophalangeal joints.
  • What is a saddle synovial joint?
    Allows flexion/extension and abduction/adduction with greater freedom (liberal biaxial), e.g., thumb carpometacarpal joint.
  • Describe ball-and-socket synovial joints.
    Multiaxial joints where a bone head fits into a cup-shaped capsule, e.g., hip and shoulder joints.
  • Match the joint type: Gomphosis.
    Joint formed by the union of a tooth root in its bony socket.
  • Match the joint type: Suture.
    Immovable joint between flat bones of the skull united by dense connective tissue.
  • Match the joint type: Symphysis.
    Slightly movable joint where bones are united by fibrocartilage.
  • Match the joint type: Synchondrosis.
    Temporary immovable joint where bones are united by hyaline cartilage.
  • Match the joint type: Syndesmosis.
    Slightly movable joint where bones are united by an interosseous membrane.