A joint is the location at which two or more bones Bones are rigid organs that form part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They function to move, support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue. Because bones come in a variety of shapes and have a complex internal and external structure make contact.^[1] They are constructed to allow movement and provide mechanical support, and are classified structurally and functionally.^[2]

Classification

Joints are mainly classified structurally and functionally. Structural classification is determined by how the bones connect to each other, while functional classification is determined by the degree of movement between the articulating bones. In practice, there is significant overlap between the two types of classifications.

Terms ending in the suffix In linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns or adjectives, and verb endings, which form the conjugation of verbs. Particularly in the study of Semitic languages, a suffix is called an afformative, as they can alter the form of the -sis are singular and refer to just one joint, while -ses is the suffix for pluralization.

Structural classification

Structural classification names and divides joints according to how the bones are connected to each other.^[3] There are three structural classifications of joints:

• fibrous joint fibrous: Gomphosis · Suture · Syndesmosis · Interosseous membrane - joined by fibrous connective tissue In zootomy, fibrous connective tissue is a type of connective tissue which has relatively high tensile strength
• cartilaginous joint Cartilaginous joints are connected entirely by cartilage . Cartilaginous joints allow more movement between bones than a fibrous joint but less than the highly mobile synovial joint. An example would be the joint between the manubrium and the sternum. Cartilaginous joints also forms the growth regions of immature long bones and the intervertebral - joined by cartilage Cartilage is a stiff and inflexible connective tissue found in many areas in the bodies of humans and other animals, including the joints between bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the elbow, the knee, the ankle, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs. It is not as hard and rigid as bone but is stiffer and less flexible than muscle
• synovial joint A Synovial joint, also known as a diarthrosis, is the most common and most movable type of joint in the body of a mammal. As with most other joints, synovial joints achieve movement at the point of contact of the articulating bones - not directly joined

Functional classification

Joints can also be classified functionally, by the degree of mobility they allow:^[4]

• synarthrosis A synarthrosis is a type of joint which permits very little or no movement under normal conditions. Most synarthrosis joints are fibrous - permits little or no mobility. Most synarthrosis joints are fibrous joints fibrous: Gomphosis · Suture · Syndesmosis · Interosseous membrane (e.g., skull sutures).
• amphiarthrosis Amphiarthrosis is a type of continuous, slightly movable joint - permits slight mobility. Most amphiarthrosis joints are cartilaginous joints Cartilaginous joints are connected entirely by cartilage . Cartilaginous joints allow more movement between bones than a fibrous joint but less than the highly mobile synovial joint. An example would be the joint between the manubrium and the sternum. Cartilaginous joints also forms the growth regions of immature long bones and the intervertebral (e.g., vertebrae).
• diarthrosis A Synovial joint, also known as a diarthrosis, is the most common and most movable type of joint in the body of a mammal. As with most other joints, synovial joints achieve movement at the point of contact of the articulating bones - permits a variety of movements. All diarthrosis joints are synovial joints A Synovial joint, also known as a diarthrosis, is the most common and most movable type of joint in the body of a mammal. As with most other joints, synovial joints achieve movement at the point of contact of the articulating bones (e.g., shoulder, hip, elbow, knee, etc.), and the terms "diarthrosis" and "synovial joint" are considered equivalent by Terminologia Anatomica Terminologia Anatomica is the international standard on human anatomic terminology. It was developed by the Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology (FCAT) and the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) and was released in 1998. It supersedes the previous standard, Nomina Anatomica. Terminologia Anatomica contains.^[5]

Biomechanical classification

Joints can also be classified based on their anatomy or on their biomechanical properties. According to the anatomic classification, joints are subdivided into simple and compound, depending on the number of bones involved, and into complex and combination joints:^[6]

1. Simple Joint: 2 articulation surfaces (eg. shoulder joint The glenohumeral joint, [from ancient Greek glene, eyeball, puppet, doll + -oid, 'form of', + latin humerus, shoulder ] or shoulder joint, is a multiaxial synovial ball and socket joint and involves articulation between the glenoid fossa of the scapula and the head of the humerus (upper arm bone), hip joint In human anatomy, hip refer to either an anatomical region or a joint)
2. Compound Joint: 3 or more articulation surfaces (eg. radiocarpal joint)
3. Complex Joint: 2 or more articulation surfaces and an articular disc The articular disk is a thin, oval plate of fibrocartilage present in several joints which separates synovial cavities. This separation of the cavity space allows for separate movements to occur in each space or meniscus (eg. knee joint The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the femur and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as well as a slight medial and lateral rotation. Since)

Anatomical

The joints may be classified anatomically into the following groups:

1. Articulations of hand The hands are the two intricate, prehensile, multi-fingered body parts normally located at the end of each arm of a human or other primate. They are the chief organs for physically manipulating the environment, using anywhere from the roughest motor skills (wielding a club) to the finest (threading a needle), and since the fingertips contain some
2. Elbow joints The elbow is the region surrounding the elbow-joint—the ginglymus or hinge joint in the middle of the arm. Three bones form the elbow joint: the humerus of the upper arm, and the paired radius and ulna of the forearm
3. Wrist joints In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as 1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand; the wrist joint or radiocarpal joint, the joint between the radius and the carpus; and (3) the anatomical region surrounding the carpus including the distal parts of the bones of the
4. Axillary articulations
5. Sternoclavicular joints The sternoclavicular articulation is a double arthrodial joint composed of two portions separated by an articular disc. The parts entering into its formation are the sternal end of the clavicle, the upper and lateral part of the manubrium sterni, and the cartilage of the first rib, visible from the outside as the suprasternal notch. The articular
6. Vertebral articulations A vertebra is an individual bone in the flexible column that defines vertebrate animals. The vertebral column encases and protects the spinal cord, which runs from the base of the cranium down the dorsal side of the animal until reaching the pelvis. From there, vertebra continue into the tail
7. Temporomandibular joints The temporomandibular joint is the joint of the jaw and is frequently referred to as TMJ. There are two TMJs, one on either side, working in unison. The name is derived from the two bones which form the joint: the upper temporal bone which is part of the cranium , and the lower jaw bone called the mandible. The unique feature of the TMJs is the
8. Sacroiliac joints The sacroiliac joint or SI joint is the joint in the bony pelvis between the sacrum and the ilium of the pelvis, which are joined by ligaments. In humans, the sacrum supports the spine and is supported in turn by an ilium on each side. The joint is a strong, weightbearing synovial joint with irregular elevations and depressions that produce
9. Hip joints In human anatomy, hip refer to either an anatomical region or a joint
10. Knee joints The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the femur and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as well as a slight medial and lateral rotation. Since
11. Articulations of foot The foot is an anatomical structure found in many animals. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws or nails

Arthritis

Arthritis and direct physical trauma Physical trauma refers to a physical injury, generally of a considerable degree. A trauma patient is someone who has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury, with the potential for secondary complications such as shock, respiratory failure and death to a joint are the causes of joint damage. Arthritis is a group of conditions where there is damage caused to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 55.

There are many different forms of arthritis, each of which has a different cause. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and subchondral bone. Symptoms may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, locking, and sometimes an effusion. A variety of causes—hereditary, developmental, (also known as degenerative joint disease) occurs following trauma to the joint, following an infection of the joint or simply as a result of aging. Furthermore, there is emerging evidence that abnormal anatomy may contribute to early development of osteoarthritis. Other forms of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium (synovitis) secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development of pannus in the synovium. The pathology and psoriatic arthritis Psoriatic arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis:427-436:194 that, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation, affects around 10-30% of people suffering from the chronic skin condition psoriasis. Psoriatic arthritis is said to be a seronegative spondyloarthropathy and therefore occurs more commonly in patients with tissue type HLA-B27, which are autoimmune diseases Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body actually attacks its own cells. The immune system mistakes some part of the body as a pathogen and attacks it. This may be restricted to certain organs or involve a particular tissue in in which the body is attacking itself. Septic arthritis Septic arthritis is the purulent invasion of a joint by an infectious agent which produces arthritis is caused by joint infection An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. In an infection, the infecting organism seeks to utilize the host's resources to multiply, usually at the expense of the host. The infecting organism, or pathogen, interferes with the normal functioning of the host and can lead to chronic wounds, gangrene, loss. Gouty arthritis Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most common affected, in around half of all cases. However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate nephropathy. It is caused by is caused by deposition of uric acid Uric acid is a heterocyclic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen with the formula C5H4N4O3 crystals in the joint that results in subsequent inflammation. Additionally, there is a less common form of gout that is caused by the formation of rhomboidal shaped crystals of calcium pyrophosphate. This form of gout is known as pseudogout Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate disease is a rheumatologic disorder with varied symptoms arising due to the accumulation of crystals of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate in the connective tissues. It is more commonly known by alternative names that specify certain clinical or radiographic findings, although neither is synonymous with CPPD.

See also

• Arthrology Arthrology is the science concerned with the anatomy, function, dysfunction and treatment of joints
• Kinesiology Kinesiology, from the Greek words kinesis and kinein (to move), also known as human kinetics, is the science of human movement. It is a regulated health profession that focuses on physical activity. A kinesiological approach applies science-based medical principles to the analysis, preservation and enhancement of human movement in all settings and
• Ligament The study of ligaments is known as desmology
• Replacement joint Joint replacement consists of replacing painful, arthritic, worn or cancerous parts of the joint with artificial surfaces shaped in such a way as to allow joint movement

References

1. ^ joint at eMedicine eMedicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996 by Scott Plantz and Richard Lavely, two medical doctors. The website is searchable by keyword and consists of approximately 6,800 articles, each of which is associated with one of 62 clinical subspecialty textbooks. Collectively the 6,800 articles comprise 62 clinical Dictionary
2. ^ Ellis, Harold; Susan Standring; Gray, Henry David (2005). Gray's anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice. St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone. pp. 38. ISBN The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering (SBN) code created by Gordon Foster, now Emeritus Professor of Statistics at Trinity College, Dublin, for the booksellers and stationers W.H. Smith and others in 1966 0-443-07168-3.
3. ^ "Introduction to Joints (3)". anatomy.med.umich.edu. http://anatomy.med.umich.edu/modules/joints_module/joints_03.html. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
4. ^ "Introduction to Joints (2)". anatomy.med.umich.edu. http://anatomy.med.umich.edu/modules/joints_module/joints_02.html. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
5. ^ synovial joint at Dorland's Medical Dictionary Dorland's is the brand name of a family of medical reference works in various media (including printed books, CD-ROMs, and online content). The flagship products are Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary (currently in its 31st edition) and Dorland's Pocket Medical Dictionary (currently in its 27th edition). The principal dictionary was first
6. ^ "Introductory Anatomy: Joints". http://www.leeds.ac.uk/chb/lectures/anatomy4.html. Retrieved 2008-01-29.

External links

• Illustration of synovial joints at shockfamily.net
• Synovial joints Illustrations and Classification

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