Joint stability stems from the congruity of the opposing structures, as well as the support given by the fibrous capsule, ligaments, and in some cases, menisci. The chemical nature of synovial fluid also leads to an inhibition of distraction of the bones, acting as an adhesive, and offering a stabilizing force to the joint. However, muscle contraction is by far and away the most important factor in both joint stabilization and the distribution of force across the joint.
         Authors note: The model of the ankle started out as a Viewpoint model. This animation was made in 1998 with the model as delivered. I took this model and applied bitmaps, drawn in CorelDraw, to the subobjects. Very tedious. The project was for Dr. David Yu who was writing on the topic of Enthesopathies.