Condyloid joint
1: Ball and socket joint; 2: Condyloid joint (Ellipsoid); 3: Saddle joint; 4 Hinge joint; 5: Pivot joint;
Ligaments of wrist. Palmaris view
Details
Identifiers
Latin	articulatio ellipsoidea
TA98	A03.0.00.049
TA2	1561
FMA	75299
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
• atlanto-occipital joints

These are also called ellipsoid joints. The oval-shaped condyle of one bone fits into the elliptical cavity of the other bone. These joints allow biaxial movements^[3] — i.e., forward and backward, or from side to side, but not rotation. Radiocarpal joint and metacarpophalangeal joint are examples of condyloid joints.

An example of an Ellipsoid joint is the wrist; it functions similarly to the ball and socket joint except is unable to rotate 360 degrees; it prohibits axial rotation.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 285 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

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