Saddle joint

Saddle joint

A saddle joint is a type of joint that consists of a concave surface that fits into a convex surface, allowing for flexion-extension and abduction-adduction movements but no rotation. An example of a saddle joint is the first carpometacarpal joint, which connects the metacarpal bones to the carpals in the base of the thumb.From: Clark’s Procedures in Diagnostic Imaging: A System-Based Approach [2020], A musculoskeletal model of the hand and wrist: model definition and evaluation [2018], Ergonomics and Safety in Hand Tool Design [2019]

Body Systems: The Basics

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Published in Karen L. LaBat, Karen S. Ryan, Human Body, 2019

Karen L. LaBat, Karen S. Ryan

A saddle joint is formed with two bone surfaces that are saddle-shaped (concave on one axis and convex on the perpendicular axis). One such joint is the first carpometacarpal joint (CMC) between the wrist and the thumb that allows you to move your thumb toward your little finger.

A musculoskeletal model of the hand and wrist: model definition and evaluation

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Published in Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 2018

M. Mirakhorlo, N. Van Beek, M. Wesseling, H. Maas, H. E. J. Veeger, I. Jonkers

The MCP joints have two degrees of freedom, allowing for flexion–extension and abduction–adduction. The PIP and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints have one degree of freedom (flexion–extension). The thumb carpal-metacarpal (CMC) joint is modeled as a saddle joint connecting metacarpal bones to the carpals with two degrees of freedom (flexion–extension and abduction–adduction). The carpal segment, linked to the ulna as a saddle joint, allows the flexion–extension and radial/ulnar deviation relative to the wrist. This simplified modeling of wrist, in contrast to more realistic modeling (Fischli et al. 2009; Majors and Wayne 2011) that accounts for complex kinematics of the human wrist, may affect the outcomes of the model, as elaborated in the limitation section of discussion. A joint with one degree of freedom connects the ulna and radius enabling forearm pronation/supination.

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Body Systems: The Basics

A musculoskeletal model of the hand and wrist: model definition and evaluation