JOINTS

BANITA MOHANTY
NURSING TUTOR
ANMTC TARAPUR MUNGER
What is joint?
 The point at which two bones lay adjacent to each other (with or without the ability to move) is
called a joint.
 Joints can be classified by the type of the tissue present (fibrous, cartilaginous or synovial), or by
the degree of movement permitted (synarthrosis, amphiarthrosis or diarthrosis).
FIBROUS JOINT
 A fibrous joint is where the bones are bound by a tough, fibrous tissue. These are typically joints
that require strength and stability over range of movement.
 Fibrous joints can be further sub-classified into
 Sutures
 Gomphoses
 and syndesmoses.
Sutures
 Sutures are immovable joints (synarthrosis)
and are only found between the flat, plate-like
bones of the skull.
Gomphoses
 Gomphoses are also immovable joints.
 They are found where the teeth articulate with their sockets in the maxilla (upper teeth) or the
mandible (lower teeth).
 The tooth is bound into its socket by the strong periodontal ligament.
FIBROUS JOINT
Syndesmoses
 Syndesmoses are slightly movable joints (amphiarthroses).
 They are comprised of bones held together by an interosseous membrane. The middle radioulnar
joint and middle tibiofibular joint are examples of a syndesmosis joint.

Gomphoses Joint
Syndesmosis Joint
CARTILAGINOUS JOINT
 In a cartilaginous joint, the bones are united by fibrocartilage or hyaline cartilage.
 There are two main types: synchondroses (primary cartilaginous) and symphyses (secondary
cartilaginous).
Synchondroses
o In a synchondrosis, the bones are connected by hyaline cartilage.
o These joints are immovable (synarthrosis).
o An example of a synchondrosis is the joint between
the diaphysis and epiphysis of a growing long bone.
CARTILAGINOUS JOINT
Symphyses
o Symphysial joints are where the bones are united by a layer of fibrocartilage. They are slightly
movable (amphiarthrosis).
o Examples include the pubic symphysis, and the joints between vertebral bodies.
SYNOVIAL JOINT
 A synovial joint is defined by the presence of a fluid-filled joint cavity contained within a fibrous
capsule.
CHARACTERISTICS:-
o Synovial joints are the freely mobile joints in which the articulating surfaces have no direct contact
with each other.
o They are freely movable (diarthrosis) and are the most common type of joint found in the body.
o The movement range is defined (i.e., limited) by the joint capsule, supporting ligaments and
muscles that cross the joint.
o The majority of the synovial joints are lined with hyaline cartilage, except for
the temporomandibular joint which is lined with the fibrous cartilage.
o The joint is encompassed in a capsule that encases the joint cavity. This capsule is made of fibrous
tissue, that holds the bone together, allow free movement and protect the joint from injury.
o The interior of the capsule is covered with a synovial membrane (delicate epithelial layer) that is
responsible for producing and secreting synovial fluid that lubricates the joint, which aids in
reducing the friction between the bones’ ends as they articulate with each other.
o Synovial fluid is a thick, sticky fluid of egg-white consistency. It also nourishes the structure within
the joint cavity and maintain joint stability.
SYNOVIAL JOINT
 SYNOVIAL JOINT TYPES:-
 Synovial joints can be sub-classified into several different types, depending on the shape of their articular
surfaces and the movements permitted:
 Ball and Socket – where the ball-shaped surface of one rounded bone fits into the cup-like depression of
another bone. It permits free movement in numerous axes.
 E.g. hip joint, shoulder joint.
 Hinge Joints- are like door hinges, where only back and forth movement is possible. Example of hinge
joints is the ankle, elbows, and knee joints.
 Gliding Joint/ Plane Joint- the articular surface are flat or very slightly curved and glide over one another
but the amount of movement possible is very restricted. This joint is the least movable joint of all synovial
joint. Example is joints between carpal bone, tarsal bone in foot.

HINGE JOINT GLIDING JOINT

BALL and SOCKET

 SYNOVIAL JOINT TYPES:-
 Pivot joints- are joints that permit rotatory movement of bones, around a single axis. Pivot joint is a
synovial joint in which the ends of two bones connect. In this joint, a cylinder-shaped bone rotates inside
another ligament that forms a ring around the joint. An example of a pivotal joint in the neck.
 Condyloid joints- also known as ellipsoid joints, are composed of an egg-shaped bone known as a condyle
that fits into a similarly shaped cavity. Although it sounds similar to a ball and socket joint, condyloid
joints only allow for forward-backward and side to side movement and do not allow rotation.

CONDYLOID JOINT
 SYNOVIAL JOINT TYPES:-
 Saddle joint- is a type of synovial joint in which the opposing surfaces are reciprocally concave and convex.
Those in which the articulating ends of the bones resemble reciprocally shaped miniature saddles.
o Only two saddle joints—one in each thumb—are present in the body. The thumb’s metacarpal bone
articulates in the wrist with a carpal bone (trapezium).
SYNOVIAL JOINT TYPES:-
MOVEMENT OF SYNOVIAL JOINT :-
3 General Types of Movements Allowed by Synovial Joints
 Gliding
 Angular movements
 Rotation
GLIDING MOVEMENTS:-
Gliding movements: One flat bone surface glides or slips over another similar surface.

Examples:
Intercarpal joints
Intertarsal joints
Between articular processes of vertebrae
MOVEMENT OF SYNOVIAL JOINT :-
ANGULAR MOVEMENTS:-
Increase or decrease angle between 2 bones. Movement along sagittal plane. Angular movements
include:
 Flexion: decreases the angle of the joint
 Extension: increases the angle of the joint
 Hyperextension: movement beyond the anatomical position
 Abduction: movement along frontal plane, away from midline
 Adduction: movement along frontal plane, toward midline
 Circumduction
 Involves flexion, abduction, extension, & adduction of limb
 Limb describes cone in space
ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF SYNOVIAL JOINT :-
ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF SYNOVIAL JOINT :-
MOVEMENT OF SYNOVIAL JOINT :-
ROTATION MOVEMENTS:-
Increase or decrease angle between 2 bones. Movement along sagittal plane. Angular movements
include:
 Rotation: turning of bone around its own long axis, toward midline or away from it
o Medial: rotation toward midline
o Lateral: rotation away from midline
o Examples
 Rotation between C1 and C2 vertebrae
 Rotation of humerus and femur
MOVEMENT OF SYNOVIAL JOINT :-
Synovial Joints, Special movements:
1.Supination and pronation: rotation of radius and ulna
 Supination: palms face anteriorly
 Radius and ulna are parallel
 Pronation: palms face posteriorly
 Radius rotates over ulna
2. Inversion and Eversion
 Inversion and eversion of foot
 Inversion: sole of foot faces medially
 Eversion: sole of foot faces laterally

3. Protraction and retraction: movement in lateral plane

 Protraction: mandible juts out
 Retraction: mandible is pulled toward neck
MOVEMENT OF SYNOVIAL JOINT :-
Synovial Joints, Special movements:
4. Dorsiflexion and plantar flexion of foot
o Dorsiflexion: bending foot toward shin
o Plantar flexion: pointing toes
5. Elevation and depression of mandible:
o Elevation: lifting body part superiorly
Example: shrugging shoulders
o Depression: lowering body part
Example: opening jaw
6. Opposition: movement of thumb
Example: touching thumb to tips of other fingers
on same hand or any grasping movement
MOVEMENT OF SYNOVIAL JOINT :-