Joints and Movement - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key joint anatomy, types, components, movements, and common disorders discussed in the lecture notes.

Joint

A point of contact between two bones where they come together; the structure that enables movement and support in the body.

Synarthrosis

A joint with no movement (immovable) between the bones.

Amphiarthrosis

A partially movable (slightly movable) joint.

Diarthrosis

A freely movable joint; most joints in the body are diarthrotic.

Fibrous joint

A joint held together by tough fibrous connective tissue.

Suture

An immovable fibrous joint between skull bones.

Syndesmosis

A fibrous joint where bones are joined by ligaments; little or no movement (e.g., between radius/ulna, tibia/fibula).

Gomphosis

A peg-in-socket joint between teeth and their bony sockets.

Interosseous membrane

A sheet of dense connective tissue binding two long bones (e.g., radius–ulna, tibia–fibula).

Synovial joint

A joint that contains a joint cavity with synovial fluid; all are diarthroses.

Planar (gliding) joint

A nonaxial joint with flat surfaces that glide past one another (example: intercarpal joints).

Pivot joint

A joint that allows rotational movement around a single axis (e.g., proximal radioulnar joint).

Hinge joint

A joint that allows movement in one plane (flexion/extension), like the elbow or knee.

Saddle joint

A joint with saddle-shaped surfaces, allowing back-and-forth and side-to-side movement; unique example is the thumb (carpometacarpal joint).

Ellipsoid (condylar) joint

A joint with an oval convex surface that fits into a concave surface; allows flexion/extension and some adduction/abduction.

Ball-and-socket joint

A multiaxial joint where a spherical head fits into a rounded socket (e.g., shoulder, hip).

Joint space

The gap between articulating bones within a synovial joint.

Synovial fluid

Lubricating fluid within the joint cavity that reduces friction and nourishes cartilage.

Articular cartilage

Hyaline cartilage covering the ends of articulating bones within a joint.

Joint capsule

A fibrous envelope surrounding a synovial joint, enclosing the joint cavity and synovial fluid.

Ligament

Dense regular connective tissue that connects bone to bone and stabilizes joints.

Tendon

Dense regular connective tissue that connects muscle to bone.

Dense regular connective tissue

Tightly packed collagen fibers aligned in parallel; forms tendons and ligaments.

Meniscus

A fibrocartilage disc that cushions and stabilizes some joints (notably the knee).

Tendon sheath

A tubular sleeve surrounding a tendon containing lubricating fluid to reduce friction.

Bursa

A small fluid-filled sac that cushions and reduces friction at joints.

Prepatellar bursa

Bursa located in front of the patella (kneecap).

Suprapatellar bursa

Bursa located above the patella.

Infrapatellar bursa

Bursa located below the patella.

Patellofemoral anatomy (ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL)

Knee ligaments: ACL (anterior cruciate), PCL (posterior cruciate), MCL (medial collateral), LCL (lateral collateral) that stabilize the knee.

ACL

Anterior cruciate ligament; stabilizes the knee by preventing excessive forward movement of the tibia relative to the femur.

PCL

Posterior cruciate ligament; stabilizes the knee by preventing excessive backward movement of the tibia relative to the femur.

MCL

Medial Collateral Ligament; stabilizes the inner knee.

LCL

Lateral Collateral Ligament; stabilizes the outer knee.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

A degenerative joint disease where cartilage breaks down, typically worse with movement.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

An autoimmune inflammatory joint disease that can improve with movement as blood flow increases.

Bursitis

Inflammation of a bursa, often due to overuse or repetitive trauma.

Symphysis

A fibrous cartilaginous joint (pubic symphysis, intervertebral discs) joined by fibrocartilage.

Synchondrosis

A cartilaginous joint joined by hyaline cartilage (e.g., growth plates in developing bones and some early rib joints).

Epiphyseal plate/line

Growth plate (epiphyseal plate) in childhood; when it closes, cartilage is replaced by bone forming the epiphyseal line.

Hylaine cartilage

A type of cartilage (hyaline) that covers articular surfaces in synovial joints.