Condyloid joint

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Condyloid joints are a type of synovial joint where the articular surface of one bone has an ovoid convexity sitting within an ellipsoidal cavity of the other bone.

Movements

Condyloid joints allow movement with two degrees of freedom much like saddle joints. They allow flexion/extension, abduction/adduction and therefore also allow circumduction. Unlike ball and socket joints, condyloid joints do not allow axial rotation.

  • flexion/extension
  • abduction/adduction
  • circumduction
Examples

The atlanto-occipital joints are condyloid joints however due to their paired arrangement they primarily allow flexion/extension and only slight lateral flexion to the left and right.

Anatomy: General