Types of joints in the human body - human body for kids

Human body moves in many different ways.
You can bend, stretch, turn, and twist.
You can move because your bones move at your joints, places where your bones meet.

But your bones can’t move by themselves—they need something to pull at them. 

This job is done by your muscles, which are joined to your bones in order to move them.

There are many joints that help your body move.
When you turn your head, bend your knees, or twist your wrists, your joints are in action.
Some joints, such as those in your skull, do not move. These are called fixed joints.
Each of the other kinds of joints does a specific type of movement.

Types of joints in the human body

Types of joints in the human body

- Ball and socket joints give you the most movement.
The round end of one bone fits into a hollow part of another bone. Examples are your hip joints and shoulder joints.

- Hinge joints work like a door on a hinge.
Movement in hinge joints is only in two directions. Your knees and elbows have hinge joints.

- Pivot joints allow parts of your body to twist.
Your head moves from side to side because it rests on a pivot joint at the top of your spine. In the same way, you can turn your hands over by flipping your wrists.

- Gliding joints are one of the simplest kinds of joints.
They allow a sliding movement when two pieces of bone come together. There are gliding joints on your backbone where the ribs meet the vertebrae.