Movement at the synovial joints

Question 1

What is flexion?

Answer 1

Flexion is the movement of bending and bringing the bones together, TOWARDS your body. Such as brining the hand to the shoulder.

Question 1

What are the six types of movement available at the synovial joint?

Answer 1

Flexion, Extension, Abduction, Adduction, Circumduction, and Rotation

Question 2

What is extension?

Answer 2

Extension is the movement of straightening the arm and moving the bones apart. Such as when the hand is moving away from the shoulder, going down, away from the body.

Question 3

What is abduction?

Answer 3

Abduction is the movement away from the body main axis (centre of the body). Such as, raising the arm to the side horizontally, lifting the leg sideways or moving the scapula (shoulder bone) forwards, away from the spinal column.

Question 4

What is adduction?

Answer 4

Adduction is movement towards the main axis of the body, such as lowering the arms to the side of the body, moving the leg back to the correct position or moving the scapula back towards the spinal column.

Question 5

Why would movements get described as angular movements?

Answer 5

If they increase or decrease in the angle between the articulating bones.

Question 6

What is circumduction?

Answer 6

Circumduction is the movement of the entire joint in a circular motion. Such as lifting the arm up to the side and moving the hand in circular motion involving circumduction at the shoulder joint as well.

Question 7

What is rotation?

Answer 7

Rotation is the movement of the limb turning round its long axis such as using a screwdriver. Rotation can be medial (inwards) towards the body, lateral (outwards) away from the body, upwards such as when the glenoid fossa of the scapula (shoulder) moves up, or downwards such as when the glenloid fossa returns to its normal position

Question 8

What can movements of circumdiction and rotation be described as?

Answer 8

Rotary movements.

Question 9

What does pronation refer to?

Answer 9

Pronation refers to the specific rotation of the radius of the forearm, so the palm is faced downwards.

Question 10

What does supination refer to?

Answer 10

Supination refers to the rotation of the radius of the forearm so that the palm is facing upwards.

Question 11

What is the movement of turning of the side of the foot so that the weight is on the inner edge of the foot called?

Answer 11

Eversion

Question 12

What is inversion?

Answer 12

Inversion is the movement of turning the side of the foot so that the weight is its outer edge.

Question 13

What are four possible factors that can reduce the movement at synovial joints?

Answer 13

Apposition of the soft parts, tension of the ligaments, muscle tension and the shape of the articular surfaces.

Question 14

What is apposition?

Answer 14

Apposition is the position of things side by side or close together.

Question 15

How does the apposition of the soft parts limit the movement of the synovial joints-an example?

Answer 15

The position of soft parts can limit the movement of synovial joints as, just like in the arm, the fleshy parts of the forearm and upper arm limits the movement of bending the arm together.

Question 16

How does tension of the ligaments limit the movement of synovial joints?

Answer 16

Shorter ligaments limit movement around the joint so these ligaments need to be stretched to become bigger to allow more movement, just as when stretching the ligament around the hip joint allows the ability to do the splits.

Question 17

How does muscle tension restrict the movement of the synovial joint?

Answer 17

Muscle tension restricts the movement just like ligaments as the shorter the muscle the more the maximum movement around the joint is prevented. The muscles can also be stretched to produce a greater amount of movement just like stretching the muscles in the hamstring allows the ability to touch the toes.

Question 18

How does the shape of the articular surface affect the movement at the synovial joint?

Answer 18

The shape of the articular surface affects the type of angle of movement available at the synovial joint.