Which joint offers more movement than a hinge joint?

• A. Pivot joint
• B. Plane joint
• C. Hinge joint
• D. Saddle joint

Answer: (D)

The amount of directions a joint can move in—its degrees of freedom—determines how much movement it offers. A hinge joint is uniaxial, moving mainly in one plane (flexion and extension). A saddle joint, by contrast, is biaxial, allowing movement in two planes (forward/backward and side-to-side) and even some rotation, which adds up to more overall mobility. An example is the thumb’s carpometacarpal joint, which enables opposition by combining these movements. The other options don’t exceed hinge movement: a pivot joint mainly rotates about one axis, and a plane joint glides with only small movements. So the saddle joint provides more movement than a hinge.