Your Joints

The joints of vertebral column

The vertebral column is the central axis of the body, acting as a support. It is a kind of flexible and solid ‘armor’ to protect the delicate nerve structures from damage.

 

Hand and finger joints

You use them every day, every day they help you with each step. Built from small joints, bones and ligaments, together they form two helping hands without which it is hard to get around. Get to know their structure and functions and learn more about prevention.

 

Elbow joint

The elbow joint (articulatio cubiti ) is a complex joint. It consists of three articulations which are anatomically joined  and enveloped by the common joint capsule.

 

KNEE AND FEET JOINTS

The knee joint (lat. articulatio genus) is the largest joint of a man at the same time due to its location and construction, it is most vulnerable to injuries. The knee is a variation of the hinge joint and it connects the thigh of the leg with the shank.

On one hand, the knee must be very supple and flexible in order to perform both horizontal and vertical movement; on the other hand it must be strong and resistant to the overload, since it bears the whole body weight during walking. The strongest muscle of the knee joint is the quadriceps muscle, which serves as the main stabilizer.

The knee joint socket consists of the slightly concave condyles of the tibia and the articular surface of patella, whereas its head is formed with the convex condyles of the femur.

THE FEMUR AND THE TIBIA ARE ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER BY:

  • the articular surface of the lateral epicondyle of the tibia with the lateral epicondyle of the femur
  • the articular surface of the medial epicondyle of the tibia with the medial epicondyle of the femur
  • the patella is attached to the femoral bone (femoropatellar joint)
  • the lateral patellar surface with the lateral epicondyle of the femur
  • the lateral patellar surface with the medial epicondyle of the femur

 

HIP JOINT

The hip joint has two very important functions: it keeps the body upright and provides locomotion. Disorders of the hip can lead inter alia to osteoarthritis, restriction of movement or other problems hampering normal functioning.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE HIP JOINT

The hip joint (articulatio coxae) is created of the head of the thigh bone and the surface of the lunate acetabular hip bone. Both of these surfaces are covered with hyaline cartilage providing flexible movement in the hip. The rest of the joint is covered with synovial membrane – synovium, in which a liquid moisturizing the joint surfaces and ensuring smooth movement is produced. The whole structure forming a spherical joint is surrounded by an articular capsule reinforced with ligaments.

THE LIGAMENT OF HIP JOINT

The lower limb, as the movement and support organ, requires the strong apparatus of the ligaments to reinforce the joint capsule. Inside the capsule, a synovial membrane is located. The joint capsule, along with ligaments which reinforce it, can carry up to 500 kg.

 

SHOULDER JOINT

The shoulder joint (the glenohumeral joint) is a junction between the humeral bone and the scapula. The articular surfaces are formed with the head of the humeral bone and the glenoid cavity (glenoid fossa) of scapula (which forms the joint socket.) The glenoid cavity is covered with the hyaline cartilage, its edge is surrounded by the fibrocartilaginous structure of glenoid labrum which deepens the cavity and facilitates the mobility of the joints.

 

THE LIGAMENT OF THE SHOULDER JOINT

The passive ligaments reinforce the articular capsule.

The coracohumeral ligament (ligamentum coracohumerale) is a broad, strong and flat ligament which is attached to the base and posterior border of the coracoid process and to  the greater and the lesser  tubercle of the humerus.

  • This ligament limits the adduction movement and bears the shoulder in the normal, lowered position, preventing the detachment of the humerus head from the cavity.
  • The Glenohumeral ligaments, (the superior, middle, and inferior ligaments) are articulated in the same way as the fibrous membrane of the joint capsule.