Chapter Four: Articulations 85

CLASSIFICATIONS OF a. _
ARTICULATIOI\IS
Articulations are the joints that
occur between bones.' They can be
classified either according to
movement or by structure. Joints
can be immovable (synarthroses),
semimovable (amphiarthroses), or
freely movable (diarthroses). The
composition of joints can be
fibrous, cartilaginous, or synovial.

FIBROUS JOINTS
Fibrous joints are held together by
collagenous fibers, the same fibers
that make up tendons and ligaments.
These joints do not have a joint
cavity. Sutures are immovable
fibrous joints of the skull. Color in
the suture illustrated on the page. A
gomphosis is a fibrous joint in
which a round peg is held into a
socket. Gomphoses are represented
by the teeth held into the maxilla or g._-----
the mandible. Another fibrous joint
is the syndesmosis. This joint is
found between the distal radius and
ulna (or tibia and fibula) and is
semimovable. Color in the various
fibrous joints.

h. _

1. _

J.

Answer Key: a. Gomphosis

(peg suture), b. Tooth, c. Alveolar
socket, d. Gingiva, e. Alveolar ridge,
f. Periodontal ligaments,g. Suture,
h. Sagittal suture, i. Syndesmosis,
J. Tibia, k. Fibula, 1. Interosseous
membrane, m. Posterior tibiofibular
ligament, n. Transverse tibiofibular
ligament
 Chapter Four
Articulations
I mKAPeLANd· -Ical 87

CARTILAGINOUS JOINTS
Cartilaginous joints are bones held
together by cartilage and do not
have a joint cavity. If the joint is held
together by hyaline cartilage it is
known as a synchondrosis. If the
cartilage is short then the joint is
immovable. An example of this kind
of joint is an epiphyseal plate. If the
cartilage is a little longer then the
joint is a semimovable joint. This is d. _
represented by the sternal-rib
junction. A cartilaginous joint that
is composed of fibrocartilage is
known as a symphysis (symphyses b.----
plural). These are semimovable
joints. Examples of symphyses are
c. _
the pubic symphysis and
intervertebral discs. Color the
cartilaginous joints. Use different
colors for the hyaline cartilage from
the fibrocartilage.

a. _

f. _

g._----

1. _

Answer Key: a. Synchondrosis, J.-----

b. Sternum, c. Costal cartilage,
d. Ribs, e. Femur, f. Epiphyseal plate,
g Symphysis, h. lntervertebrai disc,
i. Lumbar vertebra, j. Sacrum
 Chapter Four I mKAPeLA~·lcal 89
Articulations U

SYNOVIAL JOINTS, BURSA, a. _

AND TENDON SHEATH
Synovial joints are complex joints b. _
that are all freely movable. There are
variations with the joints but all c.--------
synovial joints con~ist of two bones
enclosed by a joint capsule, d. -
articular cartilages, synovial
membranes that secrete synovial e. _
fluid in the synovial cavity. Some
synovial joints have fibrocartilage
pads in the cavity called menisci
(meniscus singular). Color the g.-------
synovial joint and pay attention to
the general structure of the joint.
Color each part of the joint °a
different color.

MODIFIED SYNOVIAL
STRUCTURES-BURSAE
AI\ID TEI\IDON SHEATHS
There are structures in the body that
consist of svnovial membranes and
fibrous capsules, These are not
synovial joints but are associated
with joints. A bursa is one such
structure. It is a fluid-filled sac with
an internal synovial membrane that
cushions tendons as they pass over
bones. The bursa occurs between the
tendon and the bone. Another
structure is a tendon sheath. It also is
composed of a synovial membrane
and fibrous sheath and it encloses
tendons. The sheaths can provide
lubrication to the tendon so it does
not become irritated as it passes over
bones or next to other tendons. h.- _
Color in the layers of the bursa and
the tendon sheaths.

Answer Key: ao Bone, b. Joint capsule,

c. Synovial cavity (synovial fluid),
d. Meruscus, e. Articular cartilage,
f. Synovial membrane, g. Tendon
sheath, h. Achilles tendon,
i. Bursa, j. Calcaneus
 Chapter Four I KmAP~~·ICal 91
Articulations ItnI

SPECIFIC SYNOVIAL
JOINTS
Synovial joints are classified by what
kind of motion they have. Gliding
joints move in one plane like two
sheets of glass sliding across one
another. Hinge joints have angular a. _
movement like a door hinge.
Rotating (pivot) joints move like a
wheel of a car around an axle.
Condyloid (ellipsoidal) joints move
like hinges in two directions. In these
joints there is a convex surface and a
concave surface. Saddle joints have
two concave surfaces. They allow for
greater movement than condyloid
joints. Ball and socket joints allow
for the greatest range of movement
and are found in the shoulder and
hip. Color the illustrations of these
joints. c.-----------
d. - _

g._--------------

~h_
1. _

Answer Key: a. Superiorarticular

process, b. Vertebrae, c. Inferior articular J.
process, d. Gliding (plane), e. Humerus,
f Ulna, g. Hinge, h. Ulna, i. Radius,
j, Rotating
 11 _
.r'
,/

Chapter .Four
ArticulatIons ! medicaI
KAPLAN".
93

NOVIAl
SPECIFIC ~NTINUED)
JOINTS (C

a.

c.

d.

e.

g.
K y"a Femur, b . Ball-and-
Answer e d Carpals,
k t Ra d"··
IUS, . .
soc e ,c. . f Trapezium,
e. Condyloid,. \ h Saddle
g. First metacarpa, .
h.
 Chapter Four I KA PeLA N
d' .·cal 95
Articulations m

SPECIFIC JOINTS
a. _

TEMPOROMANDIBULAR
JOINT
b. _
Som.ejoints of the body warrant
special attention. The
!e~P?romandibular joint or jaw
joint IS both a gliding joint and a
hinge joint. The condyle of the
mandible articulates with the
mandibular !ossa of the temporal
bone. An articular disc is found in
Jaws closed
the joint that decreases the stress on
the joint. Ligaments (dense e. _ c) / /
connective tissue that joins bone to
bone) connect the mandible to the //; . ~V
. ,r
temporal bone. ~--='--d. --------

h.-----

Jaws opened widely

Actions:
1.-------

Answer Key: a.Temporal bone

b. Coronoid process, c. Condyl~ld
process (CUI), d. Angle of mandible
e. Mandibl,. f. Articular disc, g Capsule,
h. Hinge, I. Hinge and glide
 Chapter Four I IlAPLAlf - I 97
Articulations me dlea

HUMEROSCAPULAR AND
ACETABULOFEMORAL
JOINTS
a. _
The humeroscapular joint or
shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket c. _
joint that connects the humerus to
the glenoid fossa of the scapula. The
joint is deepened by the glenoid
labrum which is a fibrocartilage
ring. There are numerous ligaments d.
that connect the scapula to the
humerus.

Another ball and socket joint is the

acetabulofemoral joint. It also has
an acetabular labrum and
numerous ligaments that joint the
femur to the hip.

e. _

g._-----

h. _

1. _

Answer Key: a. Articular cartilage,

b. Glenoid labrum, c. Capsule,
d. Glenoid fossa, e. Humerus,
f. Scapula, g. Shoulder joint,
h. Femur, i. Acetabular labrum,
j.Hip joint
 Chapter Four I IAPLAN· · I 99
Articulations medlea

TIBIOFEMORAL JOINT
The tibiofemoral joint is special in
humans because it is the largest joint
in the body and because it is
particularly vulnerable to injury. The
joint is stabilized by the patellar
tendon, the medial and lateral
collateral ligaments, the anterior
and posterior cruciate ligaments
and the medial and lateral menisci.
Label the structures in the anterior
view,with the patella in place and b. _
with it reflected, and color them in.

g.

h. _

k.
Answer Key: a. Femur, b. Patella,
c. Fibular collateral ligament,
d. Patellar tendon, e. Tibial collateral
ligament, f. Fibula, g. Tibia,
h. Posterior cruciate ligament, -T+H-T++------fc7*--+--_+_ b. _
i. Anterior cruciate ligament,
j. Lateral meniscus,
k. Medial meniscus
 Chapter Four
Articulations
I me d'.lea I
KAPLAN 101

MOVEMENT AT JOINTS where the joint is extended beyond anatomic position. Looking up at the
ceiling is hyperextension of the head.
There is a broad range of motion that occurs at joints. These motions
should be referenced with the body in anatomical position. Flexion of a Abduction occurs when the extremities or head are moved in the
joint is a decrease in the joint angle from the body in anatomic position. coronal plane, laterally from the body. Adduction is the return of the
When the elbow is bent the forearm is flexed. Most flexion takes place in limbs to the body.
a forward direction. The exception to this is the leg where flexion of the
leg results in the bending of the knee. Extension of the joint is when the Rotation is the movernen t of part of the body in a circular pattern.
joint is returned to anatomic position. Hyperextension is a condition Lateral rotation is the movement of the body in a lateral direction and
medial rotation is in the opposite direction.

a. - - - - - - - - - I~(I~
)dJ
~'-~'\~'-~
d.
~---------------
_
\ \
~"'---~

1\
b.----
e.

c. _

-)
x;
(

I
I

sv J l

i
(

~
f. g.

J
f//
Answer Key: a. Hyperextension of the head, b. Flexion of the forearm, c. Extension of the forearm, d. Abduction of the arm, e. Adduction of the arm,
f. Medial rotation of the thigh, g. Lateral rotation of the thigh