Joints

Immovable Joints Immovable joints connect bones without allowing any movement. The bones of your skull and pelvis are held together by immovable joints. The union of the spinous processes and vertebrae are immovable (or fiberous) joints. Suture: an interlocking of bones along their saw-tooth edges. (above) Cartilage: adhesion by means of cartilage or gristle. (right) >

Rib Cage Utilizing Cartilage Joints

Slightly Movable Joints Fibro-Cartilage: Provides a spongy cushion between bones.

Freely Movable Joints Plane Joint: In a plane joint, bones slide past each other. Mid- carpal and mid- tarsal joints are gliding joints

Hinge Joints A hinge joint allows extension and retraction of an appendage. Movement about a transverse axis only, as in the lid of a box (I.e. elbow joint).

Ball and Socket A ball and socket joint allows for radial movement in almost any direction. They are found in the hips and shoulders.

Ellipsoid A modified ball-and-socket in which the uniting surfaces are ellipsoidal rather than spherical. Vertical rotation is impossible. e.g. where the Radius meets the wrist

Condyloid Joints A condyloid joint increases the extent of the saddle joint by permitting circular movement that will describe the side of a cone. The most obvious example of this joint is the first row of knuckles (except the thumb). CONDYLOID

Saddle Joint A saddle joint allows movement back and forth and up and down, bot does not allow for rotation like a ball and socket joint.

Pivot Joint Pivot joints allow rotation around an axis. The neck and forearms have pivot joints. In the neck the occipital bone spins over the top of the axis. In the forearms the radius and ulna twist around each other. Pivot Joints portrayed here are both in the elbow of the *Radius & in the wrist of the *Ulna. elbow is a converse ball-and- socket joint wrist is an ellipsoid joint