What type of joint is located in the shoulder?

The shoulder joint is classified as a ball-and-socket joint, which is characterized by a rounded head of one bone fitting into a cup-like cavity of another bone, allowing for a wide range of motion. In the case of the shoulder, the humerus (the upper arm bone) fits into the glenoid cavity of the scapula (shoulder blade). This structural design permits extensive movement in multiple directions, including flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and rotation.

The flexibility and mobility provided by ball-and-socket joints like the shoulder make them unique compared to other joint types. While pivot joints primarily allow for rotation around a single axis, hinge joints restrict movement primarily to flexion and extension, and gliding joints permit sliding movements between flat surfaces. These differences highlight the distinct functional capacities of each joint type, emphasizing why the ball-and-socket classification is appropriate for the shoulder.