There are several types of joints in the body classified by their structure and degree of movement allowed. Fibrous joints are immovable and found in the skull. Cartilaginous joints like the intervertebral discs allow slight movement and flexibility. Synovial joints are freely movable and contain articular cartilage, a joint capsule, and synovial fluid. The main types of synovial joints are ball-and-socket which allow movement in all planes like the shoulder, hinge joints like the elbow which flex and extend in one plane, and gliding joints like the wrist which allow sliding movements.

1. Joints
The place where two bones meet
Fibrous Joints of the skull

2. Joints
► Are
classified according to the degree
of movement.
►Immovable
►Slightly movable
►Freely movable
► Joints can also be grouped by the type
of tissue
►Fibrous,
cartilaginous, & synovial

3. Fibrous Joints
► A thin layer of dense
connective tissue joins the
bones.
► No appreciable movement,
limited flexibility.
EX. Sutures of the skull.

4. Cartilaginous Joints
► Disks of fibrocartilage or hyaline
cartilage.
► Slightly flexible and allows
limited movement.
► Disks help absorb shock and
helps to equalize pressure
between adjacent vertebrae.
Ex. Intervertebral disk, symphysis
pubis, & first rib of the sternum
disks

5. Synovial Joints
► Synovial joints allow for
Spongy
bone
Joint capsule
Synovia
l fluid
Articular
cartilage
Synovial
membrane
free movement.
► Articular ends are
covered with hyaline
cartilage and a tubular
capsule holding them in
place.
► The synovial membrane
secretes synovial fluid
which helps lubricate
the joints.

6. Types of Synovial Joints
► Ball
& Socket, allows a wider range of
motion than does any other kind. Permits
movement in all planes.
►Shoulder
► Gliding,
nearly flat
►Wrist,
► Hinge,
one
and Hip (movement in more than one plane)
ankle, & adjacent vertebrae
convex surface fits into a concave
►Elbow and
plane)
Phalanges (permits movement in one

7. Types of Synovial Joints
► Pivot
Joint, movement is limited to the
rotation around a central axis.
►neck
and proximal ends of the radius & ulna.
► Saddle
Joint, allows movement in two
directions, but without rotation.
►thumb
► Condyloid,
rotation.
movement in all planes, but no
►Metacarpals
and phalanges

8. Synovial Joint
► Ball & Socket Joint
 Freely movable in all
planes
► Movement in all planes
► Shoulder and hip

9. Gliding Joints
► Gliding Joints
 Nearly Flat
 Wrist and Ankle
► Sliding or twisting
► Wrist and ankle

10. Hinge Joint
► Convex surface
articulates with a
convex surface
► Flexion & Extension
► EX: Elbow, Knee and
Phalanges

11. Pivot Joint
► Cylindrical surface of
one bone articulates
with ring of another
► Rotation
► Proximal end of the
radius and ulna and
neck

12. Saddle Joint
► Articulating surfaces
have both concave
and convex surfaces
► Variety of movements
► thumb

13. Condyloid Joint
► Oval end articulates
with an elliptical cavity
► Variety of movements
► Joints between the
metacarpals and
phalanges