What are Ball and Socket joints?

Ball-and-socket joints are a form of synovial joint or moveable joint.

In vertebrate anatomy, a ball-and-socket joint, also known as a spheroidal joint, is a joint in which the rounded surface of one bone glides within a depression on another bone, enabling more flexibility of movement than any other type of joint.

The rounded head of one bone rests within the cup of another in this joint, allowing movement in all directions, including bending and circular movement, as well as rotation of the limb.

For instance, the hip joint, shoulder joint, and the first and second cervical vertebrae, which allow the head to move back and forth.