JOINTS

A joint is a place where two or more bones meet and is also called an articulation.

Types of joints

Joints are classified according to the amount and type of movement between the two bones.

[Link] (immovable) joints – these joints do not allow any movement because the bones are firmly fixed
together by strong fibres. Examples: joints in the skull and the attachment of tooth with socket in jaw.

2. Cartilaginous joint (Partially movable): The two bones are joined together with the help of a
disc or pad of white fibrous cartilage. Cartilaginous joints are involved in uniting the adjacent
bones by cartilage, a tough but flexible type of connective tissue.

Features of Cartilaginous joints

 These types of joints lack a joint cavity.

 These joints are slightly movable joints.
 In these joints, the bones are united by cartilage.
 These joints are mainly limited to the axial skeleton, such as the vertebral column.
 These joints are found in those places where stability and strength are required instead
of free movements.

Example: joint between two vertebra in vertebral column

These joints allow us to bent the spine (backbone)

Refer to pages 131-132 of your text book.

3. Movable (Synovial) joints

These allow us the free movement to perform skills and techniques during physical activity.
They have synovial fluid in the joint cavity that lubricates or 'oils' the joint so it moves smoothly.
Synovial fluid is made by the synovial membrane.

In synovial joints, the ends of the bones are covered with cartilage (called articular cartilage)
which cushions the joint and prevents friction and wear and tear between the bone ends.

Structure of a synovial joint

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Synovial (movable) joints have a number of structures which help smooth movement between
the bones.

 Cartilage - this is a smooth and slippery tissue that covers the ends of the bones where
they touch. They helps reduce fiction and acts as shock absorber
 Synovial fluid - The fluid acts as a lubricant (reduces friction at a joint).
 Ligament - Is a type of connective tissue that is tough, fibrous and slightly elastic. They
connect bone to bone and help keep the joint together.
 Synovial membrane- produces synovial fluid
 Tendons-. Are inelastic are very strong, inelastic connective tissues that connect
muscles to bone and allow a muscle to pull on a bone to move it..

Refer to fig 7.7 page129

Types of synovial joints.

 Hinge - these are be found in the elbow, knee and ankle. Hinge joints are like the hinges on
a door, and allow you to move the elbow and knee in only one direction. They allow flexion
and extension of a joint.
 Ball and socket - these types of joint can be found at the shoulder and hip and allow
movement in almost every direction. A ball and socket joint is made up of a round end of
one bone that fits into a small cup-like area of another bone.
 Pivot - this joint can be found in the neck between the top two vertebrae. It allows only
rotational movement such as moving your head from side to side as if you were saying 'no'.

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Movement at a joint

The effective movement of the human body requires both muscle and an incompressible
skeleton

This is because muscles will only produce effective movement if they pull on a structure that
does not shorten or bend - bone

There are over 600 skeletal muscles in the human body

Muscles are effectors, stimulated by nerve impulses from motor neurones

The muscular system is complex, with multiple muscles crossing over each other in multiple
directions

Antagonistic muscle action

 Muscles are only capable of contracting or pulling, they cannot push

 As a result of this limitation muscles generally operate in pairs
 A muscle pulls in one direction at a joint and the other muscle pulls in the opposite
direction This is described as antagonistic muscle action
 An example of this can be seen in the biceps and triceps of the arm

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  To raise the lower arm
o The bicep contracts and the tricep relaxes
o As the bone can't be stretched the arm flexes around the joint
o A muscle that bends a joint during contraction is known as a flexor (the bicep in
this case)
o This brings the triceps into its full length so that it can contract again
 To lower the lower arm
o The tricep contracts and bicep relaxes
o As the bone can't be stretched the arm flexes around the joint
o A muscle that straightens a joint during contraction is known as an extensor (the
tricep in this case)

Refer to fig 7.9 page 130

Antagonistic muscle action: the two muscles work together by pulling in opposite directions

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Muscles tissue

There are three types of muscles

 Skeletal(voluntary) muscle
 Smooth(involuntary) muscle
 Cardiac(heart) muscle

Muscle cells form soft tissue found in most animals, they are relatively long and must be able to
contract quickly.

Muscle cells have a striped appearance and contain protein filaments of actin and myosin that
can slide past one another.

This adaptation produces a contraction or extension that changes both the length and the
shape of the cell and this is how tissue made of these cells can act as muscle.

The contraction can be reversed and allows muscle tissue cells to function in such a way as to
produce force and motion in opposite directions.

Muscle cells contain lots of mitochondria to supply the larger amounts of energy from
respiration needed to work the muscles.

The kind of muscle that brings movement at a joint are skeletal (voluntary) muscle eg the
biceps and triceps muscles.

Source of energy for muscle contraction

Muscle obtain energy from respiration, that why they contain lots of mitochondria

Blood supplies glucose and oxygen to the muscles for aerobic respiration

Glucose+ Oxygen Carbon dioxide + Water +energy

C6H12O6+ 6O2 6 CO2+ 6H2O+energy

In absence of oxygen, muscles respire anaerobically to get energy

Glucose Lactic acid + energy

At times of increased physical activity, the breathing rare and heart rate increase to ensure
more supply of glucose and oxygen to the muscles for respiration.

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Healthy development of skeletal system

Balanced diet is required for proper development of the skeletal [Link] bone
formation requires a diet rich in Calcium ,phosphorus and Vitamin D. A diet lacking these
nutrients leads a deficiency disease called rickets, where bones are weak and curve or break
easily especially in growing children

Growth of muscles require supply of proteins in the diet. Carbohydrates to provide energy are
needed for cell division to make more muscle cells