A joint, also known as an arthrosis, is a part of the body at which two or more bones are connected for example; four bones (the fibula, tibia, femur and the patella) are joined at the knee joint. By defining it in this way, there need not be an association made between with joints and movement, since as I will discuss later some joint types are not mobile. In this essay I will initially look at possible methods of classification of joints, and on the features of the joint that this classification may be based, before looking at the relationship of the joints structure to its function within the body.

In terms of mobility, joints are classified into three different classes: synarthroses (or immovable), amphiarthroses (or slightly movable), and diarthroses (or freely movable), joints. This could be described as a functional method of classification as it relates to joint mobility. An alternative method of joint classification is based on the lining of the joints, with three types possible: fibrous joints, cartilaginous joints and synovial joints. This could be described as a structural method of c

There is some relationship between the method s of classification, since fibrous and cartilaginous joints tend to be associated with minimal or limited movement and synovial joints tend to be associated with the greater freedom of movement exhibited by the diarthroses. There are however joints that do not conform to these generalizations. I will now look at the main structural classifications of joint and see how their structure allows them to fulfill their function.

Within the structural classification of synovial joints, lie different functional classifications based on the number of axes in which the joint is able to move. Firstly there are two types of joint that are uniaxial, that is to say the movement of the joint takes place in one axis only, the ginglymusis (moving in a transverse axis), the other, the trochoid or pivot-joint, moves in a longitudinal axis. In ginglymusis joints the articulating bones are held together in such a way, as to prevent movement other than in a single plane. Such joints include the interphalangeal joints and the joint between the humerus and ulna, the bones are held together by strong collateral ligaments, which give the joints their uniaxial features.

Some topics in this essay:
, Socket Joints, synovial joints, cartilaginous joints, hyaline cartilage, movement joint, fibrous joints, bones held, types joint, allowing movement, method classification, fulfill role, joints tend associated, amphiarthroses slightly movable, articulating surfaces bones, epiphysis diaphysis tightly, evolved fulfill role,