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Articular
Articular is a commonly used descriptive word that
means relating to a joint. A joint is a place where two
bones contact each other. A good example of how the
word articular is used in the field of medicine is articular
cartilage. Articular cartilage is the soft slippery tissue
on the smooth white surface of a ball or socket that
creates a smooth, low friction surface which allows the
bones to glide easily across each other. There is also a
human bone called the articular bone, which is a bone
in the middle ear that transmits sound vibrations.
FEATURED BOOK: Ligamentous Articular Strain: Techniques for the Body
In certain non-human animals (e.g., amphibians, birds, reptiles) the articular bone is part
of the lower jaw.
An articular process is a projection of a vertebra (bones surrounding the spine) which fits
in (articulates) with a nearby vertebra. An articular disk is a thin oval plate of white fibrous
tissue and cartilage (a type of soft, flexible tissue) in some joints that separates the joint
space, allowing for separate movements in the joint space. Intra-articular injections are
injections of medications directly into a joint to relive joint pain (known as arthralgia).
To learn more about the science of joints, see the entry of arthrology. Articular is also
known as arthral. Articular comes from the Latin word “articulare” meaning “to divide into
joints.”
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