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Posts Tagged ‘Ball and socket joint’

The joints allow the body to move in so many ways and it is the term that is used to refer to the point where two bones come together. Surrounding those joints is smooth cartilage. This allows the joint to move smoothly, without the grinding that would occur without it. Many arthritis patients report a grinding sensation in their joints and it is due to the cartilage deteriorating. Surrounding the joint itself are ligaments and tendons, which give the joint stability and also serve to anchor the muscles to the bones at points known as origins and insertions. And around all of this is the Bursa Sac, which contains Synovial fluid, which serves to lubricate joints. Over time this mechanism can wear down, resulting in a loss of fluid lubrication. This is a common cause of arthritis in older people.

Human body is structured to move and the joints are the mechanism that makes it structurally possible to make such a broad range of movements. There are over hundred joints in a normal human body. All of them fall in listed categories.

• The type of joint allowing radial movement in almost all directions is named the “Ball and Socket Joint”. Hips and shoulders are examples of such joints.
• Simple back and forth and up and down movements are the specialty of the “Saddle” joints. These would be the kinds of joints in our fingers and toes.
• “Hinge” joints allow the flexion and extension of the appendages are located with the elbows and knees.
• The kind of joint allowing the rotational movement of the body parts such as neck and forearms are known as “Pivot”.
• Gliding joint allow the sliding of the bones past each other. You’ll find these joints at the metacarpal and metatarsal joints.
• Ellipsoid Joints are similar to Ball and Socket. They allow the same type of movement, but to a lesser degree. Wrists and Ankles are examples of these types of joints.

While the bones are the rigid parts of our bodies, it is nearly impossible to have a bone on bone joint and make them smooth. So, the cartilage, a placidly smooth structured kind of connective tissue covers the each end of the bone, allowing for smooth movement. They are the natural shock absorbers for our bodies. So if you are experiencing some pain in your joint it is very likely that you have damaged the cartilage. This is common in long time athletes. The intense strain put on the joints of these athletes eventually will wear down the cartilage, causing joint damage.

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