Anatomy: Bones, Joints, and Locomotor System

• Primary divisions of the human body include:
  • Head: Cranium, Face
  • Neck
  • Trunk: Thorax, Abdomen, Pelvis
  • Upper limb: Shoulder, Arm, Forearm, Hand, Dorsum, Palm, Fingers
  • Lower limb: Hip, Thigh, Leg, Foot Dorsum, Plantar surface, Toes
• Directional terms:
  • Median
  • Medial & Lateral
  • Anterior & Posterior (or Ventral & Dorsal)
  • Superior & Inferior
  • Proximal & Distal
  • Superficial & Deep
• The locomotor system comprises:
  • Osteology
  • Arthrology
  • Myology
• Classification of Bones:
  • Long bones
  • Short bones
  • Flat bones
  • Irregular bones
  • Pneumatic bones
  • Sesamoid bones, for example, the Patella
• General Arthrology involves the:
  • Femur
  • Tibia
  • Fibula and
  • Patella
• Rheumatoid Arthritis involves:
  • Inflammation of the tissue
  • Slow destruction of the articular cartilage
  • Bones being affected
  • Joint locks
• A joint is a junction between two or more bones.
• Joints create an axis of movements.
• Joints provide cushioning of forces.
• Joints are sites of growth.
• Prime classification of joints include:
  • Fibrous
  • Cartilaginous and
  • Synovial

Fibrous Joints

• Bones are united by fibrous connective tissue.
• Syndesmosis: Interosseous membranes, Ligaments
• Sutures: Serrate, Plane, Squamous
• Gomphosis

Cartilaginous Joints

• Bones are united by cartilage.
• Synchondrosis: primary, hyaline cartilage, temporary
• Symphysis: secondary, fibro-cartilage, permanent
• Synostosis

Synovial Joints: Basic Structures

• Articular cavity contains a trace of synovial fluid with sub-atmospheric pressure.
• Articular capsule has a fibrous and a synovial membrane.
• Articular surface is covered by articular cartilage.

Synovial Joints: Accessory Structures

• Fat pads
• Synovial bursae (and synovial folds)
• Sesamoid bones
• Intra-articular cartilages: disc, meniscus & labrum

Synovial Joints: Classification

• Classification attends to the number of articular surfaces.
• Includes single, compound, complex, and combined.

Movements of Synovial Joints

• Around the transverse or the horizontal axis
• Flexion and extension are possible.