Synovial joints allow a large degree of relative motion between articulating bones, which are lined with a layer of cartilage and whose surfaces are separated by a thin layer of lubricant – the synovial fluid [7], which is contained within a thick fibrous layer of dense connective tissue called the articular or synovial capsule (Fig. 1.2). A synovial membrane lines the joint cavity and is responsible for the production of the synovial fluid.