The Joints

	The shoulder
	The elbow
	The wrist, the hand and the fingers
	The hip
	The knee
	The ankle, the foot and the toes

I present you several figures showing different movements that allow our joints. For anatomical figures you click them to open a detailed view. I would like to warn the reader that the nomenclature is not formally verified.

The shoulder.

The shoulder articulates between the scapula and humerus. To view some of the muscles that could be involved in the movement of the shoulder, please visit my page about the muscles of the arm and the hand.

Anterior view of the shoulder joint.

Posterior view of the shoulder joint.

Movements articulated at the level of the shoulder.

Cross-section of the shoulder joint.

The elbow.

The elbow joint articulates between the humerus (arm), and the ulna and the radius (forearm). To view some of the muscles that could be involved in the movement of the elbow, please visit my page about the muscles of the arm and the hand.

Medial view of the right elbow joint.

Anterior view of the right elbow joint.
Desarticulated for didactic purpose.

Movements articulated at the level of the elbow.

The bending of the arm, articulated at the level of the elbow, occurs when the biceps muscle contracts. Since the biceps is attached to both, the arm and forearm, this pulls the forearm toward the arm. But, for the movement to occur, the opposite muscle (antagonist), the triceps needs to relax. To extend the arm, the opposite occurs; it is the triceps that contracts and the biceps that relaxes.

Flexion and extension of the arm.
I am sure you can figure it out, even if it is in French.

The wrist, the hand and the fingers.

Hand articulates between the ulna and the radius at one end, and the carpal bones at the other hand. And the fingers have 3 joints: first between the metacarpal bone and the proximal phalanx, second between the proximal and medial phalanxes, and third between the medial and distal phalanxes. To view some of the muscles that could be involved in the movement of the wrist and the fingers, please visit my page about the muscles of the arm and the hand.

Dorsal view of the wrist.

Palmar view of the wrist.

Movements of the hand.

Lateral view of finger joints.

Palmar view of the joints of the right thumb.

Sagital section, lateral view, of the finger joints.

The hip.

The hip articulates between the bones of the pelvis (ilium, ischium, and pubis) and the femur. It is the head of the femur (ball shaped) that rotates within the acetabulum (shaped like a cup). To view some of the muscles that could be involved in the movement of the leg relative to the hip, please visit my page about the muscles of the leg and the foot.

Anterior view of the right hip.

Posterior view of the right hip.

Movements of the leg at the level of the hip.

Laterodorsal view of the right hip with the articular capsule open.

The knee.

The knee is located between the femur at one end, and the tibia and fibula at the other end. The patella is located at the axis of the hinge. To view some of the muscles that could be involved in the movement of the knee, please visit my page about the muscles of the leg and the foot.

Ventral aspect of the ligaments of the right knee.

Ventral aspect of the ligaments of the right knee; opened bursa.

Movements of the knee.

Dorsal aspect of the ligaments of the right knee; cruciate ligaments and menisci dissected.

Medial aspect of the right knee; extended on the left and flexed on the right figure.

The ankle, the foot and the toes.

The ankle is articulated between the tibia and the fibula at one end, and on the tarsal bones at the other end. To view some of the muscles that could be involved in the movement of the ankle and toes, please visit my page about the muscles of the leg and the foot.

Plantar view of the right foot.

Plantar aspect of the ligaments of the right tarsus and metatarsus of the right foot.

Movements of the ankle.

Lateral view of the right foot; talus removed.