Joints Types and Joint Movement

Our body has many joints. Joints are like the hinges of our body. Without joints, our bodies would be stiff as a board. For example, we wouldn't be able to bend our arms or legs. Muscles provide both stability for joints, and help move the joints. Read on to learn more about our body joints, and how they work.

Joint Types

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The word joint describes how bones are connected to other bones by muscle, tendons and ligaments.

There are several different types of joints. Some joints, such as the shoulder joint and the hip joint, are formed with a ball and socket type joint. Other joints, such as the elbow or knee, are formed where the ends of two or more bones come together.

Joints consist of bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue. Muscles keep the bones in place and also through contraction or extension help move the bones. Cartilage prevents the bone ends from rubbing directly on to each other. Cartilage is not as hard and rigid as bone, but is stiffer and less flexible than muscle. Tendons are bands of fibrous tissue that connect muscles to bones. Ligaments are bands of fibrous tissue that connect the ends of bones together to form a joint.

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Joints Types and Joint Movement

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