Which Type of Synovial Joint Has the Least Amount of Movement?
The plane, or gliding, type of synovial joint provides the least amount of movement, says Springfield Technical Community College. This type of joint is found between the vertebrae, the carpal bones in the hand and the tarsal bones in the foot.
Synovial joints are composed of two bones separated by a fluid-filled sack. Most of the body’s movable joints belong to this classification. The type of synovial joint with the greatest range of motion is the ball-and-socket, which includes the joint that connects the humerus to the shoulder.
The gliding or planar type is sometimes able to move in several directions, but the distance of this movement is tightly constrained. Examples of this type include the joints that connect vertebrae and many of the joints among the bones that make up the hands and feet. The range of motion in these hand and foot bones is limited to a short-range sliding motion in a single direction.
