Szinchondrózis

Szinchondrózis refers to a type of cartilaginous joint where the bones are joined by hyaline cartilage. These joints are typically amphiarthrotic, meaning they allow for slight movement. Szinchondrózis joints are often temporary and are found during periods of growth. As an individual matures, the hyaline cartilage in these joints may ossify, transforming into a synostosis, which is a bony union with no intervening cartilage and therefore no movement.

One common example of szinchondrózis is found in the epiphyseal plates of long bones in children and adolescents. These growth plates are made of hyaline cartilage and are crucial for longitudinal bone growth. Once growth ceases, the cartilage in the epiphyseal plate ossifies, and the epiphysis fuses with the diaphysis, becoming a synostosis. Another example can be seen in the joint between the first rib and the manubrium of the sternum, which is often a permanent szinchondrózis. However, other sternocostal joints can be synovial joints. The presence and persistence of szinchondrózis can be indicative of developmental stages and skeletal maturity.