There are three planes of motion that scientists use to describe movement of the joints of the body. The three planes are the saggital plane, horizontal or transverse plane and frontal plane. The frontal plane of movement divides the body into...
Gliding joints are also called plane joints or arthrodial joints. The book "Fundamentals Concepts of Anatomy" describes gliding joints as flat bone diarthroses that move in a gliding action that is limited by ligaments. Ligaments are the fibrous...
Joints are points in the human body where two bones come together. There are three major types of joints in the body, each serving a different function. Fibrous joints are largely immovable to provide stability; cartilaginous joints are slightly...
A joint is the place where two or more bones come together or articulate, such as in the hip, knee, shoulder, or elbow, the National Institutes of Health notes. The human body is designed to move and this is demonstrated by the complex and varied...
Lateral raises and forward, or front, raises are exercises that many people do when working their shoulders with weights. These exercises are similar in a number of ways, but distinct differences may determine which ones you emphasize and how...
The knee is a large hinge joint in the body, which means that it can only move in one plane. The knee joint is strong enough to carry much of the body's weight due to the presence of cartilage and synovial fluid, which help cushion the joint. In...
Human kinetics, also known kinesiology, is the science of human movement. Understanding how people move allows you to make better judgments on exercise selection and execution. Using levers, planes and axes can completely change the way a strength...
According to Juan Carlos Santana, director of the Institute of Human Performance, most people fail to achieve their fitness goals because they do not have a proper exercise plan that maps out what they should do at a certain time of their...
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that acts to stabilize the shoulder joint during activity. The shoulder joint is one of only two joints in the body that has a wide range of motion in every plane, with the other joint being the hip joint....
The body is designed to move, and movement is critical to good health. To accomplish movement, the body is made up of joints where two bones come together and articulate. The joint allows for motion in one or more planes, and all of the body's...
Joints are the point where two bones meet. They make your skeleton moveable -- you would not be able to bend your arm, walk or jump if you did not have joints. However, joints can't move without help, your muscles change the angle of joints when...
Flexibility may refer to bones, muscles and joints. The term can also refer to other parts of the anatomy. For example, ligaments are said to be flexible. Flexing a ligament too far, however, can result in serious injury. Range of motion, in...
The SI joint, or sacroilial joint, is located between your sacrum and ilium, which is the middle bone of your pelvis below the sacrum. It functions as a shock absorber and helps stabilize your body during movement, according to Steven G. Yeomans,...
The elbow joint, which allows the arm to bend or straighten and the forearm to rotate inward and outward, is a complex connection often involved in sports injuries. Different joints have varying ranges of motion. Synovial joints are freely movable...
In the human body, joints are the crucial skeletal elements that allow movement to take place. Joints are located at the site where two bones meet. The types of joints in the human body are classified by the level of movement they enable and...
There are many ways to work out your arms in an overhead position. Overhead exercises target the muscles of your shoulder girdle and arms, including your deltoids, latissimus dorsi, triceps and biceps. Overhead exercises should not comprise an...
A joint is the connection between two bones. The skeletal system is made of different types of joints, including fibrous, cartilagenous and synovial. A ligament holds fibrous joints together. Cartilage joints are bones held together with a...
Pushups are a fundamental exercise that you can do almost anywhere. You don't need any special equipment or weights. This one body weight exercise targets several muscle groups, including the chest, shoulders and arms. Pushups also work the legs,...
Most back pain originates from weak core muscles. Core muscles stabilize the spine and keep your body in alignment. When these muscles misfire or become weak, pain appears in the lower and middle back. The effects of stability exercises on back...
A joint's range of motion is the angle through which a joint moves from the anatomical position to the extreme limit of the motion in a particular direction. Having an optimal range of motion allows you to move freely without pain or stiffness and...
Flexors are muscles that bend a joint, and extensors are muscles that straighten a joint. A muscle that functions primarily to one action is the prime mover, or agonist. Muscles that oppose the primary type of movement are called antagonists. Both...
Passive joint movements are those that are performed on your shoulder by a doctor or physical therapist. You may require passive therapy for any number of reasons, ranging from a torn ligament to strains that cause frozen shoulder. Passive...
Range of motion is the amount of movement available when moving a joint from a starting position to the ending position within the natural range. It varies depending on the particular joint and the health of the articulation. Hip and shoulder...
Push-ups are an exercise used by personal trainers, group fitness instructors and practically all athletes because of their ability to train many muscles in your body. Like most exercises, push-ups target both primary muscles (muscles that are...
Dumbbell training is a simple, efficient fitness tool. Dumbbells are useful for both beginners and advanced trainees. An essential element of dumbbell lifting is the freedom of movement. Russian-born fitness trainer and author Pavel Tsatsouline...
History
Orthopedic surgery is the field of medicine dealing with injuries to the musculoskeletal system. This includes bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Musculoskeletal symptoms are the second-most common reason that...
Bursitis is a painful clinical condition that effects the bursa sac. A bursa is a fluid sac that lubricates a joint to facilitate movement. The sac of bursa gets easily irritated by direct contact or overuse. Standard symptoms of bursitis are...
Running involves a series of movements in the ankles, knees, hips and shoulders during every stride. The knee, for example, involves knee extension activated by the quadriceps muscle -- and knee flexion activated by the hamstrings. With each...
A joint is the region where two or more bones make contact, providing mechanical support, and allowing movement in some cases. Joints are classified by the way bones are connected together, and also by the degree of movement between the bones. The...