A hinge joint (ginglymus or ginglymoid) is a

bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, ...

joint in which the articular surfaces are molded to each other in such a manner as to permit motion only in one plane. According to one classification system they are said to be uniaxial (having one degree of freedom).Platzer, Werner (2008) ''Color Atlas of Human Anatomy', Volume 1
p.28
/ref> The direction which the distal bone takes in this motion is seldom in the same plane as that of the axis of the

proximal Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position ...

bone; there is usually a certain amount of deviation from the straight line during flexion. The articular surfaces of the bones are connected by strong collateral

ligaments A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the: * Peritoneal ...

. The best examples of ginglymoid joints are the

Interphalangeal joints of the hand The interphalangeal joints of the hand are the hinge joints between the phalanges of the fingers that provide flexion towards the palm of the hand. There are two sets in each finger (except in the thumb, which has only one joint): * "proximal in ...

and those of the foot and the joint between the humerus and ulna. The knee joints and ankle joints are less typical, as they allow a slight degree of rotation or of side-to-side movement in certain positions of the

limb Limb may refer to: Science and technology * Limb (anatomy), an appendage of a human or animal *Limb, a large or main branch of a tree *Limb, in astronomy, the curved edge of the apparent disk of a celestial body, e.g. lunar limb *Limb, in botany, ...

. The knee is the largest hinge joint in the human body. Hinge and

pivot joint In animal anatomy, a pivot joint (trochoid joint, rotary joint or lateral ginglymus) is a type of synovial joint whose movement axis is parallel to the long axis of the proximal bone, which typically has a convex articular surface. According t ...

s are both types of

synovial joint A synovial joint, also known as diarthrosis, joins bones or cartilage with a fibrous joint capsule that is continuous with the periosteum of the joined bones, constitutes the outer boundary of a synovial cavity, and surrounds the bones' articul ...

. A hinge joint can be considered a modified sellar/saddle joint, with reduced movement.

References

External links

*
Diagram at ntu.edu.tw
{{Authority control Joints