“Joints (Articulations)”  

Articulations (Joints)

  In our body's musculoskeletal system, the Joint (Articulation) is location where two or more bones come together that allow movement and/or provide mechanical support.

Joint Classifications

  In our body, there are many overlapping ways to classify our Articulations (Joints) and how each of the different bones are connected to each other either: anatomically by location, functionally by the amount of joint movement permitted such as the diarthrosis (synovial joints), synarthrosis, amphiarthrosis, or by the types of tissue used in joining the bones (a structural classification) such as a fibrous joint, cartilaginous joint or a synovial joint. *

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“Joints Anatomically Classified”  

Anatomical Joint Classification

  In our body, the Joints (Articulations) may be classified anatomically into the following groups:

Hand Articulations Elbow Joints wrist joints (radiocarpal joints) Axillary Articulations Sternoclavicular Joints	Vertebral Articulations Temporomandibular Joints (TMJ) Sacroiliac Joints Hip Joints knee joint
Foot Articulations, ankle joints

*

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“Antecubital Region (Elbows)”  

Elbows

  In our body's upper extremity, the Antecubital Region encompassing the front of each Elbow, formed by a three bone connection at the elbow joint, the three bones that form the elbow are the humerus (upper arm bone), and the paired radius and ulna (elbow bone) of the forearm.
  In our body, the Elbow is the region surrounding the Elbow Joints — the hinge joint (ginglymus) in the middle of the arm. **

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“Hand Articulations (Hand Joints)”  

Hand Articulation

  In our body, the articulation of the hand is a complex and delicate organ.
There are many way to view the Hand Articulations (Hand Joints):

• wrist joints (radiocarpal joints) (may also be viewed as belonging to the forearm.)
• intercarpal articulations (where the palm meets the wrist)
• metacarpophalangeal joints (knuckles) where the fingers meet the palm
• carpometacarpal joints between the carpal bones and the metacarpal bones
• interphalangeal joints (finger joints) of hand (hinge joints between the finger bones)

**

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“Articular Cartilage”  

  In our body, Articular Cartilage a smooth white, firm connective tissue (a hyaline cartilage) covering the articular surfaces of bones attached by a synovial joint (diarthrotic joint).
  In our body, the term Articular Cartilage is often found in close contact with menisci and articular disks, but not considered a part of either structure, which are made entirely of fibrocartilage.

In our body, the term Articular Cartilage turnover is normally maintained by a balance between catabolic processes and anabolic processes, in which compensatory mechanisms in response to altered biomechanical stresses such as altered gait, weight distribution, or traumatic injury ensure homeostasis
  In our body, articular cartilage is a heterogeneous tissue, with the cells arranged in layers of matrix, that each have a different composition and function depending on the location from the articular surface to the subchondral bone. **

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“Synovial Bursa (Bursae)”  

Bursa (Bursae)

  In some of our body's synovial joints, Synovial Bursa (Bursae) are fibrous tiny synovial joint accessory structures with a fluid-filled sac (saclike structure) that functions as a gliding surface cushion which reduces mechancial friction between moving structural tissues including bones, muscles, tendons and skin.

Synovial Bursa

  In our body, Synovial Bursa (Bursae) may be found either between muscle and bone, between tendon and bone, or between ligaments and bone, which are lined by a synovial tissue producing the synovial fluids (joint fluids), rich in protein and collagen, that lubricates and reduces friction between these structures.

Bursa

  In our body, some of the bursae sacs, which act as cushions to reduce friction include the retrocalcaneal bursa. **

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“Acromioclavicular Joint”  

  In our body's shoulder at the tip, the Acromioclavicular Joint is a gliding shoulder joint formed where the outer extremity of the clavicle (collar bone) and the inner margin of the acromion process on the scapula bone (shoulder blade) join together.
  In our body, the Acromioclavicular Joint is not as mobile as the larger main shoulder joint, stabilized by its capsule and additional ligaments (coracoclavicular ligaments), and moves only when the shoulder is raised overhead or moved across the chest (adducted).
  In our body, the Acromioclavicular Joint is partly filled with a thick pad of cartilage (a meniscus), which allows for joint movement. **

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“Ulnohumeral Joint (an elbow joint)”  

Humeroulnar Joint

  In each of our body's elbows, the Ulnohumeral Joint (Humeroulnar Joint), aka Trochlear Joint, the largest of the three elbow joints, that as a modified hinge joint, is the junction between the trochlear notch (semilunar notch) of ulna bone and the trochlea of humerus is the articulation between humerus and ulna
  In our body, the Ulnohumeral Joint (Ulnohumeral Articulation) is the articulation between humerus and ulna allows for movement of flexion, extension and circumduction. **

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“Carpal Region (Wrist Region)”  

Carpus (Carpal Region)

  In our body, the Carpal Region (Wrist Region) is an anatomical region encompassing the Wrist (Carpus), of the upper limbs between the metacarpus and the forearm (lower arm) each containing the radiocarpal joint (wrist joint).

Radiocarpal Joint (Wrist Joint)

  In our body, the Wrist (Radiocarpal Joint) is the joint (articulation) between the distal end of the radius bone and the proximal row of carpal bones, which functions to facilitate effective positioning of the hand and powerful use of the extensors and flexors of the forearm. **

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“Axillary Articulations”  

Axillary Articulation

  In our body, the Axillary Articulations refers to the pair of joints in each shoulder.
  In our body, the Axillary Articulations are the glenohumeral joints and the acromioclavicular joint. **

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“Sternoclavicular Articulations (Sternoclavicular Joints)”  

Sternoclavicular Joint

  In our body's upper chest, the Sternoclavicular Articulation (Sternoclavicular Joint) is a double-plane synovial joint composed of two portions separated by an articular disk.
The parts entering into its formation are the sternal end of the clavicle, the upper and lateral part of the manubrium sterni (clavicular notch of the manubrium sterni), and the cartilage of the first rib bone, visible from the outside as the suprasternal notch.
  In our body, at the Sternoclavicular Joint (Sternoclavicular Articulation) the articular surface of the clavicle is larger and thicker than the sternum, invested with a layer of cartilage, which moves in many directions like a ball and socket joint, with action from the sternoclavicular muscles, sternomastoid muscles, subclavius muscles, and trapezius muscles.
  In our body, the sternoclavicular joint is stabilized by a joint capsule, by the anterior and posterior sternoclavicular and interclavicular ligaments, and particularly by the costoclavicular ligament, with the posterior structures being stronger than the anterior. **

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“Craniocervical Junction Region”  

Craniocervical Junction

  In our body, Craniocervical Junction Region is a complex transition from the skull to the spine with articulations between occiput, cervical atlas, and the cervical axis and the supporting craniocervical junction ligaments (transverse ligament and alar ligaments and accessory ligaments).
  In our body, the Craniocervical Junction contains the complex transition from the skull to the spine composed of 2 joints (atlantooccipital and the atlantoaxial joints) and houses the spinal cord, multiple cranial nerves, and many important blood and lymphatic vessels that supply the head and neck.

Craniocervical Junction

**

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“Vertebral Articulations (Vertebral Joints)”  

Vertebral Articulation

  In our body, the Vertebral Articulations refers to the vertebral column (backbone, spine), a column that consisting normally of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx.
  In our body, each Vertebral Articulations is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs.
  In our body, the Vertebral Articulations houses and protects both the spinal cord in its spinal canal. **

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“Temporomandibular Joints (TMJ)”  

Temporomandibular Joint

  In our body, the Temporomandibular Joints, the paired synovial hinge joints of the jaw frequently referred to as (TMJ) are the articulations between the head of the condylar process of the mandible and the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone. **

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“Sacroiliac Joints (Si Joints)”  

Sacroiliac Joint

  In our body, the Sacroiliac Joints (Si Joints) are a pair of weight bearing synovial joints in the bony pelvis located next to the bottom of the spine, below the lumbar spine and above the tailbone (coccyx), between the sacrum (sacral vertebrae) and the ilium of the pelvis, which connects the sacrum with the pelvis (iliac crest)
  In our body, the Sacroiliac Joints (Si Joints) with the help of the sacroiliac joint ligaments, transmits all the forces of the upper body to the pelvis and legs.
  In our body, the Sacroiliac Joints (Si Joints) are covered by two different kinds of cartilage; the sacral surface has hyaline cartilage and the ilial surface has fibrocartilage. **

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“Hip Joints”  

Hip Joint

  In our body's lower limb body region, the Hip Joint is a multiaxial ball & socket synovial joint formed by the articulation of the rounded head (the ball) of the femur (thigh bone) and the cup-like acetabulum (the socket) of the pelvic girdle (bony pelvis).
  In our body's lower limb body region, the both Hip Joint surfaces are covered with a strong lubricated layer of articular hyaline cartilage. **

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“Knee Joints (Knees)”  

Knee Joint

  In our body's lower limb region, the Knee Joint is a condyloid variety of a synovial joint that joins the thigh with the leg and consisting of two articulations: one between the femur (thigh) and tibia, and one between the femur (thigh bone) and patella (knee cap). **

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“Ankle & Foot Articulations”  

Foot Articulation

  In each of our body's feet, the Ankle & Foot Articulations are strong complex mechanical structures containing 33 Joints (Articulations) of which 20 are actively articulated, including the ankle joints. **

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