Fibrous joints
Juncturae fibrosae
Also known as: synarthrosis, suture, syndesmosis, gomphosis, fibrous joint
Joints in which bones are united by dense fibrous connective tissue, with no joint cavity. They allow little or no movement and comprise sutures, syndesmoses and gomphoses.
Overview
The amount of movement depends on the length of the connecting fibres. Sutures (found only in the skull) have very short fibres and are immovable (synarthroses); they may ossify completely in later life (synostosis). Syndesmoses unite bones by a ligament or a sheet of fibrous tissue (interosseous membrane); they permit slight movement (amphiarthroses) — examples are the distal tibiofibular joint, the interosseous membranes of the forearm and leg and the ligamenta flava. Gomphoses ("peg-and-socket") are the joints between the roots of the teeth and their alveolar sockets, held by the periodontal ligament; movement indicates disease.
- Location
Skull (sutures), forearm and leg (syndesmoses), jaws (gomphoses).
Parts & subdivisions
- Interlocking edges of skull bones joined by sutural ligament.
- SyndesmosesBones joined by ligament or interosseous membrane — distal tibiofibular joint, radioulnar interosseous membrane.
- Tooth roots in alveoli, anchored by the periodontal ligament.
Function
- Bind bones firmly together
- Transmit forces between bones (e.g. interosseous membrane from radius to ulna)
- Allow growth at sutures in childhood
Clinical significance
High ankle sprain
Injury to the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis from external rotation of the foot; slower to recover than lateral ligament sprains and may need fixation if the mortise widens.
Periodontitis
Inflammatory destruction of the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone loosens the gomphosis, leading to tooth mobility and loss.
Compiled from standard anatomy and physiology references — see the Skeletal System sources. For education only; not medical advice.