plane joint

anatomy

Also known as: arthrodial joint

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Also called:: gliding joint or arthrodial joint

Related Topics:: synovial joint

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plane joint, in anatomy, type of structure in the body formed between two bones in which the articular, or free, surfaces of the bones are flat or nearly flat, enabling the bones to slide over each other. Because the articular surfaces of the bones are free and move in a sliding motion, the plane joint is classified as a type of synovial joint.

In a plane joint the mating surfaces of the bones are slightly curved and may be either ovoid or sellar. Only a small amount of gliding movement is found. Examples are the joints between the metacarpal bones of the hand and those between the cuneiform bones of the foot.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.