Basic Joint Anatomy Worksheet

Why is there little to no movement in a fibrous joint? Because the bones making them up are made of fibrous tissue, which is very tough.

What is an example of a fibrous joint? The bones in your skull.

Describe a cartilaginous joint and give an example. Very little movement occurs between a cartilaginous joint. It's formed by two bones that are united by intervening fibrocartilage. Example: Vertebrate of the spinal column are formed by intervertebral disks.

What type of joint essentially allows free movement? Synovial joint.

What lubricates a joint cavity? Synovial fluid.


For the following joint types please list the name of the joint type, the type of movement of the joint, the shape of the joint and an example:

Plane joint - gliding in any direction - slightly curved articular surfaces - carpal bones in the hand
Hinge joint - rotation around a single axis - one irregular cylinder surface and one surface with a concave groove - the elbow joint
Condylar joint - Similar to a hinge joint but permits more movement - two articular surfaces (condyles) - the knee joint
Ball and Socket joint - many different directions - a spherical articulation fitting into a cup shaped cavity - the shoulder joint
Ellipsoidal joint - much movement, like with the wrist joint - like the ball and socket joint, only the ball joint is oval shaped - the wrist joint
Pivot joint - allows for two bones to pivot around one another - a bony peg that fits into a concave notch - the joint between the radius and ulna
Saddle joint - many directions - resembles two western saddles - the joint at the base of the thumb