abduction
movement away from the midline of the body
adduction
movement toward the midline of the body
arthritis
inflammation of a joint
Arthrology
study or discription of joints
Arthroplasty
Surgical replacement of joints, for example, the hip and knee joints.
Arthroscopy
A procedure for examining the interior of a joint, usually the knee, by inserting an arthroscope into a small incision; used to determine extent of damage, remove torn cartilage, repair cruciate ligaments, and obtain samples for analysis.
arthrosis
a joint or articulation
articular
Sleevelike structure around a synovial joint composed of a fibrous membrane and a synovial membrane.
articular cartilage
Hyaline cartilage attached to articular bone surfaces.
articular disc
Fibrocartilage pad between articular surfaces of bones of some synovial joints. Also called a meniscus
articulation
A joint; a point of contact between bones, cartilage and bones, or teeth and bones.
ball-and-socket joint
A synovial joint in which the rounded surface of one bone moves within a cup-shaped depression or socket of another bone, as in the shoulder or hip joint. Also called a spheroid joint.
bursa
A sac or pouch of synovial fluid located at friction points, especially about joints.
Bursitis
Inflammation of a bursa.
cartilaginous
A joint without a synovial (joint) cavity where the articulating bones are held tightly together by cartilage, allowing little or no movement.
circumduction
A movement at a synovial joint in which the distal end of a bone moves in a circle while the proximal end remains relatively stable.
condyloid
A synovial joint structured so that an oval-shaped condyle of one bone fits into an elliptical cavity of another bone, permitting side-to-side and back-and-forth movements, such as the joint at the wrist between the radius and carpals. Also called an elli
depression
Movement in which a part of the body moves inferiorly.
dislocation
Displacement of a bone from a joint with tearing of ligaments, tendons, and articular capsules. Also called luxation (luks-?-shun).
dorsiflexion
Bending the foot in the direction of the dorsum (upper surface).
elevation
Movement in which a part of the body moves superiorly.
eversion
The movement of the sole laterally at the ankle joint or of an atrioventricular valve into an atrium during ventricular contraction.
extension
An increase in the angle between two bones; restoring a body part to its anatomical position after flexion
fibrous joint
A synarthrosis in which the connective tissue core is dense collagenous connective tissue.
flexion
Movement in which there is a decrease in the angle between two bones.
fracture
Any break in a bone.
Gomphosis
A fibrous joint in which a cone-shaped peg fits into a socket. (tooth)
gout
Hereditary condition associated with excessive uric acid in the blood; the acid crystallizes and deposits in joints, kidneys, and soft tissue
hinge joint
A synovial joint in which a convex surface of one bone fits into a concave surface of another bone, such as the elbow, knee, ankle, and interphalangeal joints. Also called a ginglymus (JIN-gli-mus) joint.
hormone
A secretion of endocrine cells that alters the physiological activity of target cells of the body.
hyperextension
Con-tinuation of extension beyond the normal range of motion.
inversion
The movement of the sole medially at the ankle joint.
kinesiology
The study of the movement of body parts.
labrum
A fibrocartilaginous lip that extends from the edge of a ball-and-socket joint to deepen the socket.
ligament
Dense regular connective tissue that attaches bone to bone.
pivot joint
A synovial joint in which a rounded, pointed, or conical surface of one bone articulates with a ring formed partly by another bone and partly by a ligament, as in the joint between the atlas and axis and between the proximal ends of the radius and ulna. A
plantar flexion
Bending the foot in the direction of the plantar surface (sole).
pronation
A movement of the forearm in which the palm is turned posteriorly.
protraction
The movement of the mandible or shoulder girdle forward on a plane parallel with the ground.
pubic symphysis
A slightly movable cartilaginous joint between the anterior surfaces of the hip bones.
retinaculum
A thickening of deep fascia that holds structures in place, for example, the superior and inferior retinacula of the ankle.
retraction
The movement of a protracted part of the body posteriorly on a plane parallel to the ground, as in pulling the lower jaw back in line with the upper jaw.
rotation
Moving a bone around its own axis, with no other movement.
saddle joint
A synovial joint in which the articular surface of one bone is saddle-shaped and the articular surface of the other bone is shaped like the legs of the rider sitting in the saddle, as in the joint between the trapezium and the metacarpal of the thumb.
shoulder joint
A synovial joint where the humerus articulates with the scapula.
sprain
Forcible wrenching or twisting of a joint with partial rupture or other injury to its attachments without dislocation
supination
A movement of the forearm in which the palm is turned anteriorly.
suture
An immovable fibrous joint that joins skull bones.
symphysis
A line of union. A slightly movable cartilaginous joint such as the pubic symphysis.
synchondrosis
A cartilaginous joint in which the connecting material is hyaline cartilage.
syndesmosis
A slightly movable joint in which articulating bones are united by fibrous connective tissue.
synostosis
A joint in which the dense fibrous connective tissue that unites bones at a suture has been replaced by bone, resulting in a complete fusion across the suture line.
synovial cavity
The space between the articulating bones of a synovial joint, filled with synovial fluid. Also called a joint cavity
synovial fluid
Secretion of synovial membranes that lubricates joints and nourishes articular cartilage.
synovial joint
A fully movable or diarthrotic joint in which a synovial (joint) cavity is present between the two articulating bones.
synovial membrane
The deeper of the two layers of the articular capsule of a synovial joint, composed of areolar connective tissue that secretes synovial fluid into the synovial (joint) cavity.
tendon (synovial) sheath
Tubelike bursa that wraps around a tendon to protect it from friction as it runs through a tunnel of connective tissue and bone.
torn cartilage
A tearing of an articular disc (meniscus) in the knee.
diarthrosis
a joint or articulation, as that at the knee, which allows maximum movement.
synarthrosis
any of various joints which lack a synovial cavity and are virtually immovable; a fixed joint