Joint and Muscle Receptors

Free Nerve Endings (Location)

Joint capsule

Ligaments

Synovium

Fat pads

Free Nerve Endings (Sensitivity)

One type is sensitive to non-noxious mechanical stress

Other type is sensitive to noxious, mechanical, or biochemical stimuli

Free Nerve Endings (Primary Distribution)

All joints

Golgi Ligament Endings (Location)

Ligaments

Adjacent to ligaments’ bony attachment

Golgi Ligament Endings (Sensitivity)

Tension or stretch on ligaments

Golgi Ligament Endings (Primary Distribution)

Majority of joints

Golgi-Mazzoni Corpuscles (Location)

Joint capsule

Golgi-Mazzoni Corpuscles (Sensitivity)

Compression of joint capsule

Golgi-Mazzoni Corpuscles (Primary Distribution)

Knee joint

Joint capsule

Pacinian Corpuscles (Location)

Fibrous layer of joint capsule

Pacinian Corpuscles (Sensitivity)

High frequency vibration

Acceleration

High velocity changes in joint position

Pacinian Corpuscles (Primary Distribution)

All joints

Ruffini Endings (Location)

Fibrous layer of joint capsule

Ruffini Endings (Sensitivity)

Stretching of joint capsule

Amplitude and velocity of joint position

Ruffini Endings (Primary Distribution)

Greater density in proximal joints, particularly in capsular regions

Muscle Spindle (Sensitivity)

Muscle length and/or the rate of change of its length

Muscle Spindle (Location)

Muscle belly

Golgi Tendon Organ (Sensitivity)

Muscle tension