Human Anatomy & Physiology - Articulations

Flashcards covering joints, their functions, classifications, and specific examples like the elbow, knee, shoulder, and hip.

Functions of Joints

Enable movement, provide stability, and allow long bones to lengthen

Synarthrosis

No movement between articulating bones

Amphiarthrosis

Small amount of movement between articulating bones

Diarthrosis

Freely moveable, allowing wide variety of specific movements

Fibrous joints

Fastened together by dense regular collagenous connective tissue without joint space

Cartilaginous joints

Fastened together with cartilage without joint space

Synovial joints

Diarthrosis joints with hyaline cartilage and a fluid-filled joint space

Suture

Immoveable joint between edges of bones in the cranium

Gomphosis

Immoveable joint between a tooth and bony socket in the jaw

Syndesmosis

Joint between tibia, fibula, ulna, and radius, allowing a small amount of movement

Synchondrosis

Bones linked together by hyaline cartilage

Symphysis

Bones united by fibrocartilaginous pad or plug

Synovial fluid

Main functions are lubrication, transportation of nutrients/waste, and shock absorption

Ligament

Strand of dense, regular, collagenous connective tissue that links one bone to another

Tendon

Connects muscle to bone, providing stabilization when muscles are contracted

Bursa

Synovial fluid-filled fibrous structure that minimizes friction between moving parts of joints

Tendon sheath

Long bursa that surrounds tendons and protects them as they slide across a joint

Bursitis

Inflammation of the bursa

Arthritis

Inflammation of one or more joints

Nonaxial joints

Allow motion in one or more planes without moving around an axis

Uniaxial joints

Allow motion around only one axis

Biaxial joints

Allow motion around two axes

Multiaxial (triaxial) joints

Allow motion around three axes

Gliding movements

Sliding motion between articulating surfaces; nonaxial

Angular movements

Increase or decrease angle between articulating bones

Flexion

Decreases angle between bones

Extension

Increases angle between bones

Hyperextension

Extension beyond anatomical position

Abduction

Motion of body part away from midline

Adduction

Motion of body part toward midline

Circumduction

Freely moveable distal bone moves on fixed proximal bone in cone-shaped motion

Rotation

One bone rotates on an imaginary line running down its middle longitudinal axis

Depression

Moves body part in inferior direction

Elevation

Moves body part in superior direction

Protraction

Moves body part in anterior direction

Retraction

Moves body part in posterior direction

Inversion

Plantar surface of foot rotates medially toward midline of body

Eversion

Rotates foot laterally away from midline

Dorsiflexion

Angle between foot and leg decreases

Plantarflexion

Angle between foot and leg increases

Range of Motion

Amount of movement joint is capable of under normal circumstances

Plane joint (gliding joint)

Most simple and least mobile articulation between flat surfaces of two bones

Hinge joint

Convex articular surface of one bone interacts with concave depression of second bone; allows for uniaxial movement

Pivot joint

Rounded end surface of one bone fits into groove on surface of second bone; uniaxial movement

Condylar or ellipsoid joint

Biaxial joint; oval, convex surface of one bone fits into shallow, concave articular surface of second bone

Saddle joint

Each bone’s articulating surface has both concave and convex region; great deal of motion for biaxial joint

Ball-and-socket joint

Multiaxial articulation; articulating surface of one bone is spherical; fits into cup-shaped depression in second bone

Humeroulnar joint

Articulation between trochlea of humerus and trochlear notch of ulna

Humeroradial joint

Articulation between capitulum of humerus and head of radius

Patellar ligament

Distal continuation of quadriceps tendon; connects distal patella to anterior tibia

Tibiofemoral joint

Articulation between femoral and tibial condyles

Patellofemoral joint

Articulation between posterior surface of patella and anterior patellar surface of femur

Medial and lateral meniscus

C-shaped fibrocartilaginous pads between femoral and tibial condyles; shock absorption and stability

Tibial collateral ligament (medial collateral)

Connects femur, medial meniscus, and tibia to one another; medial joint stabilization

Shoulder (glenohumeral joint)

Ball-shaped head of humerus with glenoid cavity on lateral scapula

Glenoid labrum

Fibrocartilaginous ring; increases depth of glenoid cavity

Hip (coxal joint)

Stable, multiaxial articulation between acetabulum and ball-shaped head of femur

Acetabular labrum

Fibrocartilaginous ring; helps stabilize head of femur within acetabulum