Condyloid joint

Condyloid joint
1: Ball and socket joint; 2: Condyloid joint (Ellipsoid); 3: Saddle joint; 4 Hinge joint; 5: Pivot joint;
Ligaments of wrist. Anterior view
Details
Identifiers
Latin	articulatio ellipsoidea
TA	A03.0.00.049
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

A condyloid joint (also called condylar, ellipsoidal, or bicondylar^[1]) is an ovoid articular surface, or condyle that is received into an elliptical cavity. This permits movement in two planes, allowing flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, and circumduction.

Examples

Examples include:^[2]

• the wrist-joint
• metacarpophalangeal joints
• metatarsophalangeal joints

These are also called happy joints. Oval shaped condyle of one bone fits into elliptical cavity of other bone. These joints allow biaxial movements i.e. forward-backward and side to side but not rotation. Radiocarpal joint and Metacarpo-phalangeal joint are examples of condyloid joint.

An example of a Ellipsoid joint is the wrist; it functions similarly to the ball and socket joint except is unable to move 360 degrees.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

1. Rogers, Kara (2010) Bone and Muscle: Structure, Force, and Motion p.163
2. Module - Introduction to Joints Archived January 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.