JOINTS

Aimi Nadia Razlan

Centre of Preclinical Science Studies
Faculty of Dentistry UiTM
Specific Learning Outcomes

Describe the classification and characteristic features of

fibrous, cartilaginous and synovial joints.

Describe the general anatomy of synovial joint.

 or articulations

unions/junctions between
two or more bones or rigid
parts of skeleton

some joints have no

Joints Supported by variety of

soft tissue
movement (e.g.
epiphyseal plate between
epiphysis and diaphysis)

some allow only slight

exhibit a variety of forms movement (e.g. teeth
and functions within their socket)

some are freely moveable

(e.g. glenohumeral
(shoulder) joint)
Joint movements - angular
Flexion
•Bending movements that decreases the angle of the joint

Extension
•Reverse of flexion
•Joint angle increases

Abduction
•Movement away from midline

Adduction
•Movements toward the midline

Circumduction
•Movement describes a cone in space

Rotation
•The turning of a bone around its own axis

Gliding movements
•One flat bone glides/slips over another similar surface
 Classification of Joints
Three classes
(based on manner or type of material by which the articulating bones are united)

Synovial joint Fibrous joint Cartilaginous joint

Separated by cavity Joined by dense irregular Presence of intervening
Has joint capsule, inner connective tissue, cartilage
synovial membrane, outer Rich in collagen E.g. primary
fibrous membrane No cartilage synchondrosis, secondary
Filled with synovial fluid, synchondrosis
E.g. Sutures, gomphosis
has hyaline cartilage (dentoalveolar),
syndesmosis
 1. Fibrous Joint
• united by fibrous tissue

• amount of movement – depends on the length of

the fibers uniting the articulating bones
 e.g. sutures of the cranium

• a syndesmosis type – unites the bones with a

sheet of fibrous tissue (either ligament or
fibrous membrane)
 it is partially movable
 e.g. interosseous membrane in the forearm between
ulna and radius
 e.g. dento-alveolar syndesmosis (gomphosis or
socket) – peg-like process fits into a socket
articulation between the root of tooth and alveolar
process of the tooth
 2. Cartilaginous Joint
• united by hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage

• primary cartilaginous joints

(synchondroses)
 bones are united by hyaline cartilage
 usually temporary unions, ossify later
 e.g. between the epiphysis and diaphysis of
a growing bone, between the first rib and
the sternum (1st sternocostal joint)
 permit growth in the length of a bone
 when full growth – epiphyseal plate
converts to bone and the epiphyses fuse
with the diaphysis
 does not allow any movement
 Cartilaginous Joint

• secondary cartilaginous joints

(symphyses)
 strong and slightly movable joints
 united by fibrocartilage (presence of
intervening pad or disc of fibrocartilage
between the articular hyaline cartilage)
 permanent joints
 e.g. pubic symphysis between the right and
left pubic bones near the midline of the
body
 e.g. intervertebral discs consist of binding
connective tissue that joins the vertebrae
together
 to provide strength and shock absorption,
considerable flexibility to the vertebral
column
Synchondroses Symphysis
•Bones are united by hyaline cartilage •Bones are united by fibrocartilage
•Joints are immovable •It allows little movement
•Usually temporary •Usually permanent
•The cartilage are ossified after a period of •The cartilage are not ossified after a period
growth of growth
•Present in growing end of bone •All are present in the midline of the body
•E.g. joint between epiphyses & diaphysis •E.g. pubic symphysis, joint between the
bodies of the vertebrae (intervertebral disc)
 3. Synovial Joint
• united by a joint (articular) capsule
(composed of an outer fibrous layer lined
by a serous synovial membrane) spanning
and enclosing an articular cavity
• joint cavity – a potential space that
contains a small amount of lubricating
synovial fluid, secreted by the synovial
membrane
• inside the capsule:
 articular cartilage covers the articulating
surfaces of all bones
 synovial membrane covers all other internal
surfaces

• periosteum – investing the participating

bones external to the joint blends with the
fibrous layer of the joint capsule
 Structure of Synovial Joints

Sleevelike extension of the periosteum of each of the

articulating bones
Joint Forms a complete casing around the ends of the
capsule bones – binding them to each other
2 layers – outer fibrous membrane (may contain
ligaments) and inner synovial membrane

Moist, slippery membrane that lines the inner

surface of the joint capsule
Synovial
It attaches to the margins of the articular cartilage
membrane
Secretes synovial fluid, which lubricates and
nourishes the inner joint surfaces
 Structure of Synovial Joints

Thin layer of hyaline cartilage covering and

Articular cushioning the articular surfaces of bones
cartilage

Pads of fibrocartilage located between the

Menisci articulating ends of bones
(articular These pads divide the joint cavity into two separate
disks) cavities
E.g. knee joint contains two menisci

Small space between the articulating surfaces of the

two bones of the joint
Joint Absence of tissue between articulating bone
cavity surfaces permits extensive movement
Synovial joints are freely movable joints
 Structure of Synovial Joints

Strong cords of dense, white fibrous tissue

Grow between the bones
Ligaments
Hold the bone firmly together than the joint capsule
alone

A closed pillowlike structure called bursa – consists

of a synovial membrane filled with synovial fluid
Tend to be associated with bony prominence (e.g. in
Bursae the knee or elbow)
Function to cushion the joint and facilitate
movement of tendons
 Synovial Joints

• most common and provide free

movement between the bones they
join 6 major types

• joints of locomotion, typical of nearly • classified according to shape of the

all limb joints articulating surfaces and/or the type
of movement they permit
• usually reinforced by accessory • plane joints
ligaments • hinge joints
 either separate (extrinsic) or a • saddle joints
thickening of a portion of the joint
• condyloid joints
capsule (intrinsic)
• ball and socket joints
• some have fibrocartilaginous articular • pivot joints
disc or meniscus
 Sternoclavicular joint

• permit gliding or sliding movements in the plane of the

articular surfaces

• the opposed surfaces of the bones are flat or almost flat

Plane Joints  with movement limited by their tight joint capsules

• numerous and are nearly always small

• e.g. acromioclavicular joint (between the acromion of

scapula and the clavicle)
 • permit flexion and extension only
• uniaxial joints
 movements that occur in one plane (sagittal)
around a single axis that runs transversely
• joint capsule – thin and lax anteriorly and posteriorly
Hinge Joints where movement occurs
• bones are joined by strong, laterally placed collateral
ligaments
• e.g. elbow joint, knee joint
 • permit abduction-adduction, flexion-extension

• biaxial joints
 movements allow in two planes (sagittal/frontal) – occurring
around two axes at right angles to each other
Saddle Joints • movement in circular sequence (circumduction) is also possible

• the opposing articular surfaces are shaped like a saddle

(reciprocally concave and convex)

• e.g. carpometacarpal joint at the base of the 1st digit (thumb)

 • permit flexion-extension, abduction-adduction

• biaxial joints

• however, movement in one plane (sagittal) is usually

greater (freer) than in the other
Condyloid Joints • circumduction also possible, but more restricted than
saddle joints

• e.g. metacarpophalangeal joints (knuckle joints),

radiocarpal joint
 • allow movement in multiple axes and planes

• multiaxial joints
Ball and Socket  Spheroidal surface of one bone moves within the socket of
another
Joints
• e.g. hip joint
 Spherical head of femur rotates within the socket formed by
the acetabulum of the hip bone
 • permit rotation around a central axis

• uniaxial joints
Pivot Joints  rounded process of bone rotates within a sleeve or ring

• e.g. median atlanto-axial joint

 atlas (C1 vertebra) rotates around a finger-like process,
dens of axis (C2 vertebra), during rotation of the head
Example of all three types of joints

Fibrous joint

• The various ligaments connecting

the spinous and transverse
processes have some
characteristics of a fibrous joint

Cartilaginous joint

• The intervertebral disc

Synovial joint

• The joints between the inferior

articular processes of one vertebra
and the superior articular
processes of the next inferior
vertebra
 Joints of Upper Limb
Glenohumeral joint

Shoulder
Sternoclavicular joint
girdle

Elbow Acromioclavicular joint

Upper limb Wrist

Carpal joints

Carpometacarpal joints
Hand
Metacarpophalangeal
joints

Interphalangeal joints
Glenohumeral joint

• Articular surface

• Synovial ball and socket articulation

• Hyaline cartilage

• Joint stability is provided by:

 Rotator cuff muscles
 Long head of biceps brachii
 Extracapsular ligaments

• Movements:
 Flexion, extension, abduction, adduction,
medial rotation, lateral rotation,
circumduction
Movements of the glenohumeral joint
Acromioclavicular Sternoclavicular
joint joint
Elbow joint
• Articulation:
 spool-shaped trochlea and
spheroidal capitulum of the
humerus with trochlear notch of
the ulna and head of radius

• Humeroulnar

• Humeroradial
 Radioulnar joint

Proximal Distal

• Uniaxial pivot joint • Pivot joint

• Articulation: • Articulation:
 Circumference of  Head of ulna
the radial head articulate with ulnar
 Fibro-osseous ring notch of radius
formed by ulnar
radial notch and • Triangular ligaments
annular ligament binds them together

• Fibroarticular disc
separates it from the
wrist joint
Wrist joint
• Biaxial joint

• Condyloid (ellipsoid) synovial

joint

• Articulation:
 between distal end radius with
scaphoid, lunate an triquetrum
Movements of the wrist joint
Joints of the hand
Joints of Lower Limb

Hip

Knee

Lower limb

Ankle

Foot
 Hip joint
• Multiaxial ball and socket synovial
joint

• Designed with stability in a wide range

of movement

• Articulation:
 Head of femur is 2/3 of a sphere, covered
by hyaline cartilage except at the fovea
where the ligamentum teres is attached
 The lunate surface of the acetabulum
 Knee joint
• Largest synovial joint in the body

• Articulation:
 Femur with tibia
 Patella with femur
 Two fibrocartiligenous menisci, one on
each side
 Ankle joint
• Hinge-type synovial joint

• Articulation:
 Distal ends of tibia and fibula
 Superior part of talus
Joints of the foot
Summarize
• A joint is a union between two or more bones or rigid parts of skeleton

• Three general part of joints:

 Fibrous joint
 Cartilaginous joint
 Synovial joint

• Freely movable synovial joints

 Most common type
 Classified into:
 Plane joint
 Hinge joint
 Saddle joint
 Condyloid joint
 Ball and socket joint
 Pivot joint
 Receive blood supply from articular arteries that often form networks
 Drained by articular veins originating in the synovial membrane
 Richly innervated by articular nerves that transmit the sensation of
proprioception, an awareness of movement and position of parts of the
body