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ball-and-socket joint
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An anatomical illustration of the human hip joint showing bones and ligaments, including the ilium, ischium, pubis, femur, head of femur, and labeled ligaments such as the iliofemoral, pubofemoral, and pubocapsular ligaments.
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Also called:
spheroidal joint
Related Topics:
synovial joint
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The human hip and pelvis
The human hip and pelvis Anterior view of the hip and pelvis, showing attachment of ligaments to the femur, ilium, ischium, and pubis.

ball-and-socket joint

anatomy
Also known as: spheroidal joint
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History

ball-and-socket joint, in vertebrate anatomy, a joint in which the rounded surface of a bone moves within a depression on another bone, allowing greater freedom of movement than any other kind of joint. It is most highly developed in the large shoulder and hip joints of mammals, including humans, in which it provides swing for the arms and legs in various directions and also spin of those limbs upon the more stationary bones.