Name: types of joints in the human body
Uploaded: 2025-10-23T11:49:20.000Z
Duration: 1 min 26 s
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Alabama Course of Study Science

9-12

Human Anatomy and Physiology

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From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

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Joints

In the human body, joints are points of articulation, locations where bones meet.
There are three main types. The first, fibrous joints, are stable and allow for little to no mobility. For instance, the sutures of the skull are held together by fibrous connective tissue and do not allow movement between adjacent bones.
The second kind, cartilaginous joints, are bones connected through fibrocartilage, which makes them strong and flexible to allow for bending motions, for example, between each vertebrae of the intervertebral disc.
The third and most common group, synovial joints, allow for the greatest mobility. In these joints, the bony surfaces are not directly connected. Rather, they are covered by a thin layer of cartilage and surrounded by an articular capsule that is filled with synovial fluid to provide lubrication.
One example is the glenohumeral joint of the shoulder, also known as a ball and socket joint. The rounded part, the head of the humerus, is located within the glenoid cavity, the socket.
The surrounding capsule is then supported by ligaments and rotator cuff muscles to yield a wide range of motion in all directions, to enable reaching an object.

joints

Joints, also called articulations or articular surfaces, are points at which ligaments or other tissues connect adjacent bones. Joints permit movement and stability, and can be classified based on their structure or function.
Structural joint classifications are based on the material that makes up the joint as well as whether or not the joint contains a space between the bones. Joints are structurally classified as fibrous, cartilaginous, or synovial.
<h4>Fibrous Joints Are Immovable</h4>
The bones of a fibrous joint are connected by fibrous tissue and have no space, or cavity, between them. Thus, fibrous joints cannot move. Although the skull appears to be a single large bone, it includes several bones that are connected by fibrous joints called sutures. Syndesmoses, the second type of fibrous joint found in the fibula (calf bone), allow more movement than sutures. The third type of fibrous joint, gomphoses, connect teeth to their sockets.
<h4>Cartilaginous Joints Permit Modest Movements</h4>
The bones of cartilaginous joints are connected by cartilage and permit minimal movement. The two types of cartilaginous joints, synchondroses and symphyses, differ in the kind of cartilage that connects the bones (hyaline cartilage and fibrocartilage, respectively). The epiphyseal plates in the bones of growing children contain synchondroses. Symphyses connect vertebrae as well as the pubic bones.
<h4>Synovial Joints Enable the Greatest Range of Movement</h4>
Synovial joints, found in the elbows, shoulders, knees, and elsewhere, are the most common type of joint and allow the greatest range of movement. They are also the weakest joints and the only joints that contain a cavity between adjoining bones. The envelope of connective tissue that surrounds this synovial cavity is called an articular (or joint) capsule and contains fluid that reduces friction between bones.

Joints, also called articulations or articular surfaces, are points at which ligaments or other tissues connect adjacent bones. Joints permit movement and ...

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KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

types of joints in the human body

Joints are the places where adjacent bones connect. They are also called articulations or articular surfaces. Joints help the body move and stay stable.

Joints can be classified by structure or by function. Structural classification depends on the material that forms the joint and whether there is a space between the bones. By structure, joints are fibrous, cartilaginous, or synovial.

Fibrous joints are connected by fibrous tissue and have no cavity between the bones. Because of this, they do not move. Sutures in the skull are one example. Syndesmoses, found in the fibula, allow more movement than sutures. Gomphoses connect teeth to their sockets.

Cartilaginous joints are joined by cartilage and allow only slight movement. Synchondroses use hyaline cartilage, while symphyses use fibrocartilage. Growing children have synchondroses in the epiphyseal plates of their bones. Symphyses connect the vertebrae and the pubic bones.

Synovial joints allow the widest range of movement and are the most common type of joint. They are found in the elbows, shoulders, and knees. They are also the weakest joints and the only ones with a cavity between the bones. This cavity is surrounded by an articular, or joint, capsule that contains fluid to reduce friction.

Types of Joints in the Human Body

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Joints are the places where adjacent bones connect. They are also called articulations or articular surfaces. Joints help the body move and stay stable. Joints can be classified by structure or by function. Structural classification depends on the material that forms the joint and whether there is a space between the bones. By structure, joints are fibrous, cartilaginous, or synovial. Fibrous joints are connected by fibrous tissue and have no cavity between the bones. Because of this, they do...

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key terms and concepts

Learn how fibrous, cartilaginous, and synovial joints differ, with examples like skull sutures, vertebrae, and movable joints in the elbows and knees.

Types of Joints in the Human Body | JoVE K12

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Types of Joints in the Human Body

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