Which of the following are cartilaginous joints

Joints can be classified by the type of the tissue present (fibrous, cartilaginous or synovial), or by the degree of movement permitted (synarthrosis, amphiarthrosis or diarthrosis).

In this article, we shall look at the classification of joints in the human body.

• Fibrous – bones connected by fibrous tissue.
• Cartilaginous – bones connected by cartilage.
• Synovial – articulating surfaces enclosed within fluid-filled joint capsule.

• Synarthrosis – immovable.
• Amphiarthrosis – slightly moveable.
• Diarthrosis – freely moveable.

Fibrous Joints

A fibrous joint is where the bones are bound by a tough, fibrous tissue. These are typically joints that require strength and stability over range of movement.

Fibrous joints can be further sub-classified into sutures, gomphoses and syndesmoses.

Sutures

Sutures are immovable joints (synarthrosis), and are only found between the flat, plate-like bones of the skull.

There is limited movement until about 20 years of age, after which they become fixed and immobile. They are most important in birth, as at that stage the joints are not fused, allowing deformation of the skull as it passes through the birth canal.

By TeachMeSeries Ltd (2022)

Fig 1 – Bones of the calvarium and cranial base.

Gomphoses

Gomphoses are also immovable joints. They are found where the teeth articulate with their sockets in the maxilla (upper teeth) or the mandible (lower teeth).

The tooth is bound into its socket by the strong periodontal ligament.

Syndesmoses

Syndesmoses are slightly movable joints (amphiarthroses).

They are comprised of bones held together by an interosseous membrane. The middle radioulnar joint and middle tibiofibular joint are examples of a syndesmosis joint.

Cartilaginous

In a cartilaginous joint, the bones are united by fibrocartilage or hyaline cartilage.

There are two main types: synchondroses (primary cartilaginous) and symphyses (secondary cartilaginous).

Synchondroses

In a synchondrosis, the bones are connected by hyaline cartilage. These joints are immovable (synarthrosis).

An example of a synchondrosis is the joint between the diaphysis and epiphysis of a growing long bone.

Symphyses

Symphysial joints are where the bones are united by a layer of fibrocartilage. They are slightly movable (amphiarthrosis).

Examples include the pubic symphysis, and the joints between vertebral bodies.

By OpenStax College [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Fig 2 – Adjacent vertebral bodies are connected by fibrocartilage: an example of a symphysis

Synovial

A synovial joint is defined by the presence of a fluid-filled joint cavity contained within a fibrous capsule.

They are freely movable (diarthrosis) and are the most common type of joint found in the body.

Synovial joints can be sub-classified into several different types, depending on the shape of their articular surfaces and the movements permitted:

Joints, also known as articulations, are a form of connection between bones. They provide stability to the skeletal system as well as allowing for specialized movement.

Joints can be classified:

1. Histologically, on the dominant type of connective tissue. ie fibrous, cartilaginous, and synovial.
2. Functionally, based on the amount of movement permitted. ie synarthrosis (immovable), amphiarthrosis (slightly moveable), and diarthrosis (freely moveable).

Generally speaking, the greater the range of movement, the higher the risk of injury because the strength of the joint is reduced

The two classification schemes correlate:

1. Synarthroses are fibrous joints
2. Amphiarthroses are cartilaginous joints
3. Diarthroses are synovial joints

The 5 minute video outlines the basics.

In fibrous joints (synarthrodial joint) the bones are joined by fibrous tissue, namely dense fibrous connective tissue, and no joint cavity is present. The amount of movement allowed depends on the length of the connective tissue fibers uniting the bones. Although a few are slightly movable, most fibrous joints are immovable.

The three types of fibrous joints are sutures, syndesmoses, and gomphoses.

1. Sutures are immobile joints in the cranium. The plate-like bones of the skull are slightly mobile at birth because of the connective tissue between them, termed fontanelles. This initial flexibility allows the infant’s head to get through the birth canal at delivery and permits the enlargement of the brain after birth. As the skull enlarges, the fontanelles reduce to a narrow layer of fibrous connective tissue that suture the bony plates together. Eventually, cranial sutures ossify- the two adjacent plates fuse to form one bone (termed synostosis).
2. Gomphoses are the immobile joints between the teeth and their sockets in the mandible and maxillae. The periodontal ligament is the fibrous tissue that connects the tooth to the socket.
3. Syndesmoses are slightly movable joints (amphiarthroses). In syndesmosis joints, the two bones are held together by an interosseous membrane. Eg Middle Tibiofibular Joint, a fibrous joint formed by the interosseus membrane connecting the shafts of the tibia and the fibula.

Cartilaginous joints are a type of joint where the bones are entirely joined by cartilage, either hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage. These joints generally allow more movement than fibrous joints but less movement than synovial joints.

• Primary cartilaginous joints: These cartilaginous joints are composed entirely of hyaline cartilage and are known as synchondroses. Most exist between ossification centres of developing bones and are absent in the mature skeleton, but a few persist in adults. eg First Sternocostal Joint, between first rib and manubrium (all other sternocostal joints are plane synovial joints); Growth plates. Image 3: synchondroses eg. growth plate
• The secondary cartilaginous joint, also known as symphysis, may involve either hyaline or fibrocartilage. These joints are slightly mobile (amphiarthroses). eg The pubic symphysis: Intervertebral discs.

The primary purpose of the synovial joint is to prevent friction between the articulating bones of the joint cavity. While all synovial joints are diarthroses, the extent of movement varies among different subtypes and is often limited by the ligaments that connect the bones. Nearly all joints of the limbs and most joints of the body fall into this class.

A key structural characteristic for a synovial joint that is not seen at fibrous or cartilaginous joints is the presence of a joint cavity. The joint cavity contains synovial fluid, secreted by the synovial membrane (synovium), which lines the articular capsule. This fluid-filled space is the site at which the articulating surfaces of the bones contact each other. Hyaline cartilage forms the articular cartilage, covering the entire articulating surface of each bone. The articular cartilage and the synovial membrane are continuous. A few synovial joints of the body have a fibrocartilage structure located between the articulating bones. This is called an articular disc, which is generally small and oval-shaped, or a meniscus, which is larger and C-shaped.

See Synovial Joint Link for full explaination.

Physiotherapists are qualified health care professionals who are experienced at assessing joints of the human body. See links to below conditions for some examples.

What are the types of cartilaginous joints?

What is 1 example of a cartilaginous joint?

Which of the following is a cartilaginous joint quizlet?

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