Types of Synovial Joints
Synovial joints come in six varieties, each designed for specific types of movement. Ball and socket joints offer the greatest freedom of movement (like your shoulders and hips), allowing rotation in multiple directions. This is why you can swing your arms in circles but not your knees!
Hinge joints work like door hinges, permitting movement in one direction only (flexion and extension). Your elbows and knees are perfect examples - they can bend and straighten but can't twist side to side. Plane joints allow simple gliding movements between flat surfaces, like those between the small bones in your wrists and ankles.
Pivot joints enable rotation around a single axis, such as the joint that allows you to turn your head from side to side. Saddle joints and condyloid joints permit movement in two planes - your thumb's exceptional mobility comes from a saddle joint, while condyloid joints in your wrists and ankles allow flexion, extension, and side-to-side movement.
Movement Matters: Your joints have specific anatomical names based on the bones they connect - like the "glenohumeral" joint in your shoulder or the "tibiofemoral" joint in your knee. Learning these terms helps physical therapists, doctors, and athletes communicate precisely about injuries and movement.