Types of Joint

Types of Joints

• A joint is a point of connection between two or more bones. This connection is made up of various tissues like bone, cartilage, and ligaments.

Fibrous Joints

• Fibrous joints are immovable, or synarthroses. These joints do not have a joint cavity and are connected via fibrous connective tissue.

• An example of a fibrous joint is the sutures found in the skull. Another example is the connection between the teeth and the sockets in the jawbone, a gomphosis.

Cartilaginous Joints

• Cartilaginous joints, or amphiarthroses, have a limited range of motion. These joints are made up of bones that are connected by cartilage.

• The intervertebral discs in the spine are examples of cartilaginous joints.

Synovial Joints

• Synovial joints, also known as diarthroses, are freely movable joints. They contain a joint cavity filled with synovial fluid that nourishes the cartilage and lubricates the joint.

• Synovial joints have a variety of subtypes. Examples include hinge joints (like the elbow and knee) and ball-and-socket joints (like the hip and shoulder).

• Pivot joints, like the neck, allow a rotating movement. Saddle joints, such as the one between the thumb and the wrist, allow movement in two planes, and gliding joints, like the ones found in the wrist and ankles, allow bones to glide past one another.

• Condyloid joints, such as the wrist joint, allow for movement without rotation.

Understanding these joint types is crucial for understanding the mobility and movements available to the human body, as well as conditions that may affect joint health.