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Anatomy & Physiology: Joints Overview

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  • Functions of joints

    Enable movement, provide stability, and allow growth of long bones.

  • Functional classes of joints

    Synarthrosis (immoveable), amphiarthrosis (partially moveable), diarthrosis (freely moveable).

  • Structural classes of joints

    Fibrous (dense collagenous tissue), cartilaginous (cartilage between bones), synovial (fluid-filled joint cavity).

  • Types of fibrous joints

    Sutures, gomphoses, and syndesmoses.

  • Sutures

    Synarthroses between skull bones.

  • Gomphoses

    Synarthroses between each tooth and its alveolus in the mandible or maxilla.

  • Syndesmoses

    Amphiarthroses where bones are joined by an interosseous membrane.

  • Types of cartilaginous joints

    Synchondroses and symphyses.

  • Synchondroses

    Synarthroses where bones are held together by hyaline cartilage.

  • Symphyses

    Amphiarthroses where bones are connected by a fibrocartilaginous pad.

  • Structure of synovial joints

    Bones separated by a joint cavity, held by an articular capsule lined with synovial membrane.

  • Articular cartilage in synovial joints

    Covers the ends of bones to reduce friction and absorb shock.

  • Functions of synovial fluid

    Lubricates the joint, absorbs shock, and performs metabolic functions.

  • Additional support structures in synovial joints

    Ligaments, tendons, bursae, and tendon sheaths.

  • Classification of synovial joints by axes of motion

    Nonaxial, uniaxial, biaxial, and multiaxial.

  • Gliding movement

    Simple back and forth or up and down motion between articulating surfaces.

  • Angular movements

    Change the angle between bones: flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, circumduction.

  • Rotation movement

    Nonangular motion where a bone pivots or twists along its long axis.

  • Special movements of synovial joints

    Opposition, reposition, depression, elevation, protraction, retraction, inversion, eversion, dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, supination, pronation.

  • Types of synovial joints

    Plane, hinge, pivot, condylar, saddle, ball-and-socket.

  • Mobility of synovial joint types

    Plane joints are nonaxial and least mobile; ball-and-socket joints are multiaxial and most mobile.

  • Elbow joint type

    Hinge joint made of two separate joints enclosed in one articular capsule.

  • Knee joint characteristics

    Hinge joint with two articulations; largest diarthrosis in the body.

  • Shoulder joint features

    Glenohumeral joint; most mobile and least stable joint in the body.

  • Hip joint description

    Ball-and-socket joint between femur head and acetabulum.