Skeletal System: Articulations

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the skeletal system's articulations, focusing on joint classification, types, and movements.

Joint (articulation)

Places of union between bones, cartilage, or teeth.

Arthrology

The study of joints.

Fibrous joint

Joints held together by dense connective tissue; they have no joint cavity and are typically immobile.

Cartilaginous joint

Joints joined by cartilage, lacking a joint cavity; they are usually immobile or slightly mobile.

Synovial joint

Joints joined by ligaments with a fluid-filled joint cavity separating the bone surfaces, allowing for movement.

Synarthroses

Immobile joints that can be fibrous or cartilaginous.

Amphiarthroses

Slightly mobile joints that can be fibrous or cartilaginous.

Diarthroses

Freely mobile joints, all of which are synovial joints.

Gomphosis

A type of fibrous joint that is a 'peg in a socket,' such as the articulation of teeth.

Suture

A fibrous joint found between skull bones that allows for growth in childhood.

Syndesmosis

Fibrous joint bound by an interosseous membrane allowing slight movement.

Synchondrosis

A cartilaginous joint where bones are joined by hyaline cartilage, typically immobile.

Symphysis

A cartilaginous joint with pads of fibrocartilage between articulating bones, allowing slight mobility.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)

The only mobile joint between bones of the skull, allowing hinge and gliding movements.

Articular capsule

A double-layered structure surrounding a synovial joint, comprising an outer fibrous layer and an inner synovial membrane.

Bursae

Fibrous, saclike structures containing synovial fluid, alleviating friction in synovial joints.

Flexion

Movement that decreases the angle between two bones.

Extension

Movement that increases the angle between two bones.

Abduction

Lateral movement away from the midline of the body.

Adduction

Medial movement toward the midline of the body.

Circumduction

Circular movement of a limb that describes a cone shape.

Rotation

Bone pivots around its longitudinal axis; can be medial or lateral.

Dorsiflexion

Limited to the ankle; movement where the top of the foot moves toward the leg.

Plantar flexion

Ankle movement where the top of the foot points downward.

Eversion

Movement at the foot where the sole turns laterally.

Inversion

Movement at the foot where the sole turns medially.

Protraction

Movement of a body part forward in the horizontal plane.

Retraction

Movement of a body part backward in the horizontal plane.