Joints In The Human Body With Their Examples

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In this article, we will share some information .about the joints in the human body with their examples. And if you are interested in more articles, comment to us below.

What Are Joints Referred To?

In simple terms, the joint of the body is a junction where two or more bones come in contact with each other whether there is movement or not between them.

The joints of the human body are classified into different types depending on the tissues that merge the bone ends.

Classification Of Joints:

• Cartilaginous Joints
• Synovial Joints
• Fibrous Joints

Cartilaginous Joints:

Cartilaginous joints are the type of joints where the articular end of the bones forming a joint is connected by a piece of cartilage.

Classification Of Cartilaginous Joints:

1. Primary Cartilaginous Joint (Synchondrosis):

The primary cartilaginous joint consist of a piece of hyaline cartilage placed between the articulating end of bones forming a joint. The movement of bones is restricted or immovables.

               The primary cartilaginous joint is also called synchondrosis due to the fact that the adjacent bones forming a joint consist of hyaline cartilage in between.

The examples of primary cartilaginous joints are:

• The joint between basiocciput and basisphenoid bones of the skull.
• The joint between epiphysis and diaphysis of growing long bone like humerus, femur, metacarpals, etc.

2. Secondary Cartilaginous Joint (Symphysis):

The secondary cartilaginous joint is formed in between the articulating bones that are covered by a thin layer of hyaline cartilage and joined with a plate of fibrous cartilage. These types of joints are slightly movable.

                    The secondary cartilaginous joint is also called symphysis due to the fact that the articulating bones are formed by the fusion of the fibrocartilaginous layer in between them.

The examples of secondary cartilaginous joints are:

• Intervertebral joints (joints between the adjacent vertebrae).
• Pubic symphysis (junction between the right and left superior rami of pubis of hip bones), etc.

Synovial Joints:

In this type of joint, the ends of the bones forming a joint are covered by a thin layer of hyaline articular cartilage and the synovial joint cavity separates them. Thus they are freely movable joints.

• The synovial cavity is enclosed within a fibrous capsule.
• Synovial membrane lines the inner surface of the capsule and the non-articular parts of the articulating ends of the bones.
• Synovial fluid lubricates the articular surfaces.
• This fluid has the property of having a variable viscosity. Due to hyaluronic acid, it is thin in rapid movements and thick in slow movements.
• Synovial membrane produces and absorbs the synovial fluid.
• In specific joints, an articular disc made of fibrocartilage may be interposed into the junction to separate its cavity into two (Ex: Temporomandibular joint).
• Generally, discs are seen in joints where movements occur in two planes.
• Based on the structure of articulating bones and the plane of movement, they are classified into different types.

Classification Of Synovial Joints:

A simple mnemonic for remembering the synovial joints is PCBSHPE (Physics Chemistry Biology Should Have Prepared Early). This sentence you might have felt during your entrance exams right.

1. Plane Joint:

• In-plane joint, the articulating surfaces are flat and the movements are confined to slight rotation, tilting, and gliding.
• Example: Intercarpal joints (joints between the adjacent carpal bones), between adjacent vertebrae, intertarsal joints (joints between the adjacent tarsal bones), etc.

2. Condyloid Joint:

• These joints are the type of modified hinge joints.
• In this type, one of the articular ends is condyloid and convex like and the other end is reciprocally concave.
• It shows biaxial (two axes) movements resulting in extension, flexion, circumduction, adduction, abduction, but usually, no rotation is found.
• In certain synovial joints, intracapsular fatty pads are found outside the synovial membrane (Ex; Knee joints).
• Example: Temporomandibular joint (joint between the temporal bone of the skull and the mandibular bone of jaw), metacarpophalangeal joint (joint between the phalanges and metacarpals of the hand), knee joint (joint between femur above, condyles of the tibia below, and patella in front), etc.

3. Ball And Socket Joint:

• In this type of joint, one of the articular surfaces of the bone is ball-like and spherical and the other end forms a concave cup-like cavity.
• It shows poly-axial (many axes) movements and allows sideways, forward, rotating, and backward movements.
• Example: Hip joint (joint between acetabulum of hip bone proximally and head of the femur distally), shoulder joint (joint between glenoid fossa of scapula proximally and head of the humerus distally), etc.

4. Saddle Joint:

• In this type, the articulating surfaces are mutually concavoconvex and the movements usually occur in all the planes.
• Example: Calcaneocuboid joint(joint between the tarsal bones calcaneum and the cuboid), sternoclavicular joint(joint between manubrium of the sternum and the clavicle bone), carpometacarpal joint (joint between the carpals and metacarpals of the hand), etc.

5. Hinge Joint:

• A hinge joint is a type of joint in which the movements are restricted to only one plane (uniaxial) and usually around the transverse axis.
• Example: Elbow joint (joint between the lower end of the humerus of the upper arm and upper end of radius and ulna of the forearm), interphalangeal joint(joint between the adjacent phalanges), ankle joint (joint between the foot (talus), and the leg(fibula, and tibia)), etc.

6. Pivot Joint:

• Again in the pivot joint, the movements occur in only one plane (uniaxial) and this usually occurs around a longitudinal axis.
• Example: Atlanto-axial joint (joint between the atlas and the axis of upper vertebrae), proximal radioulnar joint (joint between the proximal ends radius and ulna of the forearm), etc.

7. Ellipsoid Joint:

• It is a type of synovial joint, in which one of the articular surfaces is elliptical convex that fits in another elliptical concave surface.
• Movements mostly occur in two axes (biaxial) causing flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction.
• Example: Metacarpophalangeal joint (joint between the metacarpals and the phalanges in hand), atlantooccipital joint (joint between the base of the skull and the cervical spine), wrist joint(), etc.

Fibrous Joints:

• Fibrous joints are the type of joints in which the bones forming the joints are connected by fibrous tissue.
• The degree of movement or restriction of movement in a fibrous type of joint is mostly dependent on the length of the fibrous tissue present in between them.
• The fibrous joint is classified into different types depending on the ligaments present in between the articulating surfaces.

Classification Of Fibrous Joints:

1. Gomphosis:

• Gomphosis is a peg and socket type of joint
• They are usually connected by periodontal ligaments.
• Periodontal ligaments are the type of fibrous connective tissue.
• Example: Tooth in its bony socket.

2. Sutural Joints:

• In this type, the bones are usually connected by sutural ligaments.
• Sutural ligaments are the type of fibrous connective tissue.
• Example: Joints in between the skull bones.

3. Syndesmosis:

• In this type, the articulating surface of bones is connected by interosseous ligaments.
• The interosseous ligament is also a type of fibrous connective tissue.
• Example: Inferior tibiofibular joints.

Thank you for spending your time and showing interest in reading our article, hope you follow, share, and comment on this article.

Classification of joints in the body.

Synovial joints, classification, and examples.

Cartilaginous joints, classification, and examples.

Fibrous joints, classification, and examples.

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