Glossary
- Abduction
- Movement in the coronal plane that moves a limb laterally away from the body; spreading of the fingers
- Adduction
- Movement in the coronal plane that moves a limb medially toward or across the midline of the body; bringing fingers together
- Amphiarthrosis
- Slightly mobile joint
- Articular Disc
- Meniscus; a fibrocartilage structure found between the bones of some synovial joints; provides padding or smooths movements between the bones; strongly unites the bones together
- Articulation
- Joint of the body
- Ball and Socket Joint
- Synovial joint formed between the spherical end of one bone (the ball) that fits into the depression of a second bone (the socket); found at the hip and shoulder joints; functionally classified as a multiaxial joint
- Biaxial Joint
- Type of diarthrosis; a joint that allows for movements within two planes (two axes)
- Bursa
- Connective tissue sac containing lubricating fluid that prevents friction between adjacent structures, such as skin and bone, tendons and bone, or between muscles
- Cartilaginous Joint
- Joint at which the bones are united by hyaline cartilage (synchondrosis) or fibrocartilage (symphysis)
- Circumduction
- Circular motion of the arm, thigh, hand, thumb, or finger that is produced by the sequential combination of flexion, abduction, extension, and adduction
- Depression
- Downward (inferior) motion of the scapula or mandible
- Diarthrosis
- Freely mobile joint
- Dorsiflexion
- Movement at the ankle that brings the top of the foot toward the anterior leg
- Elevation
- Upward (superior) motion of the scapula or mandible
- Eversion
- Foot movement involving the intertarsal joints of the foot in which the bottom of the foot is turned laterally, away from the midline
- Extension
- Movement in the sagittal plane that increases the angle of a joint (straightens the joint); motion involving posterior bending of the vertebral column or returning to the upright position from a flexed position
- Fibrous Joint
- Joint where the articulating areas of the adjacent bones are connected by fibrous connective tissue
- Flexion
- Movement in the sagittal plane that decreases the angle of a joint (bends the joint); motion involving anterior bending of the vertebral column
- Gout
- A form of arthritis that results from the deposition of uric acid crystals within a body joint
- Hinge Joint
- Synovial joint at which the convex surface of one bone articulates with the concave surface of a second bone; includes the elbow, knee, ankle, and interphalangeal joints; functionally classified as a uniaxial joint
- Hyperextension
- Excessive extension of joint, beyond the normal range of movement
- Hyperflexion
- Excessive flexion of joint, beyond the normal range of movement
- Inferior Rotation
- Movement of the scapula during upper limb adduction in which the glenoid cavity of the scapula moves in a downward direction as the medial end of the scapular spine moves in an upward direction
- Inversion
- Foot movement involving the intertarsal joints of the foot in which the bottom of the foot is turned toward the midline
- Joint
- Site at which two or more bones or bone and cartilage come together (articulate)
- Joint Cavity
- Space enclosed by the articular capsule of a synovial joint that is filled with synovial fluid and contains the articulating surfaces of the adjacent bones
- Lateral Excursion
- Side-to-side movement of the mandible away from the midline, toward either the right or left side
- Lateral Flexion
- Bending of the neck or body toward the right or left side
- Lateral (external) Rotation
- Movement of the arm at the shoulder joint or the thigh at the hip joint that moves the anterior surface of the limb away from the midline of the body
- Ligament
- Strong band of dense connective tissue spanning between bones
- Medial Excursion
- Side-to-side movement that returns the mandible to the midline
- Medial (internal) Rotation
- Movement of the arm at the shoulder joint or the thigh at the hip joint that brings the anterior surface of the limb toward the midline of the body
- Meniscus
- Large, C-shaped articular disc
- Multiaxial Joint
- Type of diarthrosis; a joint that allows for movements within three planes (three axes)
- Opposition
- Thumb movement that brings the tip of the thumb in contact with the tip of a finger
- Osteoarthritis
- "Wear and tear" of the articular cartilage
- Plantar Flexion
- Foot movement at the ankle in which the heel is lifted off of the ground
- Pronated Position
- Forearm position in which the palm faces backward
- Pronation
- Forearm motion that moves the palm of the hand from the palm forward to the palm backward position
- Protraction
- Anterior motion of the scapula or mandible
- Reposition
- Movement of the thumb from opposition back to the anatomical position (next to index finger)
- Retraction
- Posterior motion of the scapula or mandibleRheumatoid Arthritis
- Autoimmune disease in which the joint capsule and synovial membrane become inflamed
- Rotation
- Movement of a bone around a central axis (atlantoaxial joint) or around its long axis (proximal radioulnar joint; shoulder or hip joint); twisting of the vertebral column resulting from the summation of small motions between adjacent vertebrae
- Superior Rotation
- Movement of the scapula during upper limb abduction in which the glenoid cavity of the scapula moves in an upward direction as the medial end of the scapular spine moves in a downward direction
- Supinated Position
- Forearm position in which the palm faces anteriorly (anatomical position)
- Supination
- Forearm motion that moves the palm of the hand from the palm backward to the palm forward position
- Synarthrosis
- Immobile or nearly immobile joint
- Synovial Joint
- Joint at which the articulating surfaces of the bones are located within a joint cavity formed by an articular capsule
- Tendon
- Dense fibrous connective tissue structure that anchors a muscle to bone
- Uniaxial Joint
- Type of diarthrosis; joint that allows for motion within only one plane (one axis)
Grant and Other Information
Except where otherwise noted, this work by The Community College Consortium for Bioscience Credentials is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Other text from OpenStaxCollege licensed under CC BY 3.0. Modified by Alice Rudolph, M.A. and Amy Bauguess, M.S. for c3bc.
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