Introduction to Joints

The adult human body usually has 206 bones, and except for the hyoid bone in the neck, each bone is connected to at least one other bone. Joints are the location where bones come together. Many joints allow for movement between the bones. At these joints, the articulating surfaces of the adjacent bones can move smoothly against each other. However, the bones of other joints may be joined by connective tissue or cartilage. These joints are designed for stability and provide little or no movement. Importantly, joint stability and movement are related to each other. This means that stable joints allow for little or no mobility between the adjacent bones. Conversely, joints that provide the most movement between bones are the least stable. Understanding the relationship between joint structure and function helps explain why particular types of joints are found in certain body areas.

The articulating surfaces of bones at stable types of joints, with little or no mobility, are firmly united to each other. For example, most of the skull's joints are held together by fibrous connective tissue and do not allow for movement between the adjacent bones. This lack of mobility is important because the skull bones protect the brain. Similarly, other joints united by fibrous connective tissue allow for a very little movement, which provides stability and weight-bearing support for the body. For example, the tibia and fibula of the leg are tightly united to give stability to the body when standing. At other joints, the bones are held together by cartilage, which permits limited movements between the bones. For example, the joints of the vertebral column only allow for small movements between adjacent vertebrae, but when added together, these movements provide the flexibility that allows your body to twist or bend to the front, back, or side.

In contrast, in joints that allow for wide ranges of motion, the articulating surfaces of the bones are not directly united to each other. Instead, these surfaces are enclosed within a space filled with lubricating fluid, which allows the bones to move smoothly against each other. These joints provide greater mobility, but since the bones are free to move relative to each other, the joint is less stable. Most of the joints between the appendicular skeleton bones are freely movable to allow different body movements like walking, running, and jumping.

This text is adapted from Openstax, Anatomy and Physiology 2e, Section 9: Section: Introduction