Joints

Pivot Joint

• Allow bones to rotate
• There are 3 pivot joints in the body: wrist, elbow & neck
• Each time you turn your head or rotate your wrist you are using a pivot joint
• e.g. neck - the first two vertebrea (atlas and axis) allow you to turn your head from side to side

Hinge Joint

• Allows only backward and forwards motion

(just like door hinge)

• There are 3 hinge joints: knee, elbow & ankle
• Knee - between the tibia and femur. E.g. squats, footballer bends lower leg at knee (flexion) then straightens it (extension) to kick the ball
• Elbow - between the humerus and ulna. E.g. bicep curls
• Ankle - E.g. pointing toes when in the air during trampolining (plantar-flexion), martial artist flexing foot upwards (dorsi-flexion) when kicking

Ball and Socket Joint

• The rounded head of a long bone (the ball)

fits into a cup-shaped hole (the socket)

• Hip and shoulder joints are both this type of joint
• Hip - femur fits into the pelvis
• Shoulder - humerus fits into the scapula
• Both are covered in cartilage and reinforced with ligaments, but the shoulder has more freedom than the hip and is capable of more variety and a bigger range of movement

Condyloid Joint

• Similar to a ball and socket joint, but the

ball rests against the end of a bone, rather

than inside a socket

• This allows circular motion
• The wrist is this type of joint
• You can bend it (flexion) and straighten it (exension), but you can also turn you hand inwards (adducation) and outwards (abduction)
• This allows for very complex movements, e.g. when a bowler spins a ball

Flexion

Bending movement that decreases

angle between body parts

Joint that provide it: shoulder, hip, elbow

Examples in sport: Someone working out in the gym bends thier arm up when doing a bicep curl

Extension

Straightening movment that increases

the angle between body part

Joint that provide it: shoulder, hip

Examples in sport: A swimmer swings the arm backwards in preparation for a racing dive

Bending movement that decreases angle between body parts

Joint that provide it: shoulder, hip, elbow

Examples in sport: Someone working out in the gym bends thier arm up when doing a bicep curl

Abduction

Movement that pulls

away from the midline

of the body

Joint that provide it: shoulder, hip

Examples in sport: A gymnast moves their arms out sideways at the shoulder when performing 'the crucifix' on the rings

Adduction

Movement that pulls

towards the midline of

the body

Joint that provide it: shoulder, hip

Examples in sport: A golfer of the tee swings the club down towards the ball

Plantar Flexion

Extending or pointing the toes

down, away from the shin

Joint that provide it: ankle

Examples in sport: A floor gymnast points their toes

Dorsi-Flexion

Bending or flexing the toes

up, closer to the shin

Joint that provide it: ankle

Examples in sport: A sprinter positions their feet in the starting blocks

Circumduction

Moving in a circular or conical

shape

Joint that provide it: shoulder, hip

Examples in sport: A cricketer bowls a ball

Rotation

Movement around a sinlge axis or

pivot point

Joint that provide it: shoulder, hip

Examples in sport: A tennis player serves