Body system · 40 pieces

Joints & ligaments

Ligaments, joint capsules, discs and membranes that bind the skeleton.

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3D model of the Joints & ligaments in the Anatomy Nexus anatomy atlas
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Overview

Where bones meet, connective tissue holds them together and limits their motion. Ligaments are dense bands of collagen running bone to bone; intervertebral discs are fibrocartilage cushions between vertebral bodies; interosseous membranes bind the paired bones of the forearm and leg. BodyParts3D models a selection of these structures, including every intervertebral disc, the plantar ligaments of the foot and the check ligaments of the eye muscles.

Functions

  • Stabilise joints while allowing controlled movement
  • Absorb and distribute load between bones
  • Transmit forces along the limbs

Clinical notes

  • Ligament sprains and tears (for example the knee's cruciate ligaments)
  • Herniated intervertebral discs can compress nerve roots
  • Degenerative disc disease narrows the space between vertebrae

All structures 40

40 modelled pieces. Click a structure to open it in the atlas.