Joint (Articulation)
Any place where adjacent bones or bone and cartilage come together to form a connection
Joint cavity
A fluid-filled space where some bones articulate with each other
Fibrous joint
Adjacent bones are united by FIBROUS connective tissue
Cartilaginous joint
Bones are joined by hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage
Synovial joint
Articulating surfaces of the bones are NOT directly connected, come into contact with each other in a JOINT CAVITY filled with lubricating fluid
Synarthrosis
An immobile or nearly immobile joint
-- Sutures
-- Manubriosternal joint
Amphiarthrosis
Joint that has limited mobility
-- Intevertebral discs
-- Pubic symphysis
Diarthrosis
Freely mobile joint
-- All synovial joints of body
Uniaxial joint
Only allows for motion in a single plane
-- Elbow (bending or straightening)
Biaxial joint
Allows for motion within two planes
-- Metacarpophalangeal joint (knuckle)
Multiaxial joint
Allows for movement along three axes
-- Shoulder and hip joints
Ligament
Band of dense, fibrous connective tissue spanning between BONES at a joint
Tendon
Dense connective tissue structure anchoring MUSCLE to BONE
Suture
A fibrous joint that joins all the bones of the SKULL
(except mandible)
Fontanelles
Broad areas of connective tissue between skull bones in INFANTS
-- Provide flexibility to skull that allow for rapid growth of skull and enlargement of brain
"Soft spots
Synostosis
Fusion between adjacent bones from ossified connective tissue
-- Skull bones later on in life
Syndesmosis
Fibrous joint in which two parallel bones are united by fibrous connective tissue
** The gap between the bones may be narrow (ligaments) or wide (interosseous membrane)
-- Ulna and radius > interosseous
-- Tibia and fibula > interosseous
Gomphosis
Specialized fibrous joint that anchors the root of a TOOTH into its bony socket within the maxillary (upper jaw) or mandible (lower jaw) bone
-- Periodontal ligaments
Synchondrosis
Cartilaginous joint where bones are joined by HYALINE cartilage
(or bone to hyaline cartilage)
-- Epiphyseal plate (temporary)
Symphysis
Cartilaginous joint where bones are joined by FIBROCARTILAGE
-- Pubic symphysis
-- Intevertebral symphysis