Pivot joint
Pivot joints, also known as rotary joints, are a type of synovial joint that permit axial rotation. The moving bone rotates within a ring formed by the concave surface of a second bone and an adjoining ligament.
Movements
Pivot joints allow rotation around a single axis only and therefore mechanically speaking they possess only one degree of freedom.
- axial rotation
Examples
- median atlantoaxial joint between the dens of C2 and the anterior arch of C1
- proximal radioulnar joint at the elbow
- distal radioulnar joint at the wrist
The proximal and distal radioulnar joints pivot together such that the radius twists around the ulnar to allow pronation and supination of the forearm.
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: General
- anatomic position
- anatomic nomenclature
- Terminologia Anatomica
- superseded nomenclature
- Terminologia Anatomica
- anatomic variants
- regional anatomy
- systems anatomy
- endocrine system
- lymphatic system
- thoracic duct
- right lymphatic duct
- jugular trunks
- subclavian trunks
- bronchomediastinal trunks
- lumbar trunks
- intestinal trunk
- lymph nodes
- reticuloendothelial system
- labeled imaging anatomy cases
- osteology
- skeleton
- bones
- macroscopic structure
- microscopic structure
- bone growth
- fetal bone formation
- developmental ossification
- endochondral ossification
- primary ossification
- secondary ossification
- intramembranous ossification
- endochondral ossification
- tubulation
- bones types
- nutrient foramen
- joints
- muscles
- organs
- embryology
- skin
- blood vessels
- nerves
- histology
