Musculoskeletal System Review

This set of flashcards is designed to help students study key vocabulary terms related to the musculoskeletal system and joint classifications.

Muscle

A tissue that produces force and movement in the body.

Enthesis

The site of attachment of a tendon or ligament to bone.

Epiphyseal bone

The end part of a long bone, initially growing separately from the shaft.

Synovial cavity

A space within a synovial joint that contains synovial fluid.

Bursa

Fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction between moving parts in joints.

Joint capsule

A structure that encloses the synovial cavity and joints, providing support.

Tendon

A fibrous connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone.

Articular cartilage

Smooth cartilage covering the ends of bones at a joint.

Ligament

A fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones at a joint.

Diarthrosis

A type of joint allowing a lot of movement.

Agonist

The muscle that is the primary mover during an action.

Antagonist

The muscle that opposes the action of the agonist.

Synergist

A muscle that assists the agonist in performing an action.

Fibrous joint

A joint where bones are connected by dense connective tissue and permit little to no movement.

Cartilaginous joint

A joint where bones are joined by cartilage, allowing limited movement.

Synovial joint

A freely movable joint that contains synovial fluid.

Flexion

The action of bending at a joint, decreasing the angle between bones.

Extension

The action of straightening at a joint, increasing the angle between bones.

Pronation

The action of rotating a limb or body part downwards.

Supination

The action of rotating a limb or body part upwards.

Abduction

The movement away from the midline of the body.

Adduction

The movement towards the midline of the body.

Circumduction

A conical movement of a body part, such as the shoulder or hip.

Ball and socket joint

A joint where a rounded bone fits into a cup-like socket, allowing multi-directional movement.

Hinge joint

A joint that allows for bending and straightening movements.

Pivot joint

A joint permitting rotational movement around a single axis.

Saddle joint

A joint where one bone fits into a saddle-shaped surface of another, allowing back and forth and side to side movement.

Ellipsoidal joint

A joint allowing movement in two planes, such as the wrist (radiocarpal joint).

Meniscus

A C-shaped cartilage in the knee joint that acts as a cushion between the thigh bone and the shin bone.

Synovial fluid

A lubricating fluid in synovial joints that reduces friction and provides nourishment to cartilage.

Dorsiflexion

Movement that brings the foot closer to the shin.

Plantarflexion

Movement that points the toes downward.