GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Glossary of Medical Terminology
| Achilles Tendon | tendon of the calf muscles situated at the back of the ankle and attached to the calcaneus bone of the heel |
| Acute | short and severe; not long, drawn out or chronic |
| Adductor | any muscle which moves a part toward the midline of the body |
| Adhesion | abnormal union of two parts, occuring after inflammation |
| Analgesics | a drug which relieves pain, adminstered locally, topically or systematically |
| Anterior | in front of; the front surface of |
| Anti-Inflammatory | tending to reduce or prevent inflammation |
| Arthritis | inflammation of one or more joints which swell, become warm to touch, are painful and are restricted in movement |
| Benign | 1. noninvasive, noncancerous (of a growth) 2. describes a condition or illness which is not serious and does not usually have harmful consequences |
| Chiropractic | a technique of manipulation of the spine, based on the principle that problems with the vertebral alignment may result in mascular, organic, neural or sensory problems caused by aberrations in the functioning of the nervous system |
| Chondroma | a benign, slow-growing tumour of cartilage |
| Chondromalacia | softening of cartilage |
| Chondrosarcoma | malignant growth of cartilage |
| Chronic | lingering, lasting, opposed to acute |
| Corticosteroids | steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex |
| Cryotherapy | the use of cold for the treatment of disease |
| Degeneration | deterioration in quality or function. |
| Extension | 1. traction upon a fractured or dislocated limb. 2. straightening. Increasing the angle at a joint |
| Facet | a small, smooth, flat articulating-surface of a bone or a calculus |
| Flexion | bending, the reduction of the angle at a joint |
| Lateral | at or belonging the side; away from the midline |
| Ligament | band of tough fibrous tissue which connects bones or other structures together. Provides strength and support at joints. |
| Malignant | virulent and dangerous |
| Orthotics | the scientific study and manufacture of devices which can be applied to or around the body in the care of physical impairment or disability |
| Osteoarthritis | also known as osteoarthorosis. A degenerative arthritis; it may be primary, or may follow injury or disease involving the articular surfaces of synovial joints |
| Osteochondritis | inflammation of bone cartilage |
| Osteomyelitis | inflammation commencing in the marrow bone, usually due to acute or chronic bacterial infection |
| Osteopathy | clinical discipline and established systen of assessment and diagnosis and treatment; the interelationship betwenn structure and fuction of the body |
| Patella | a triangular, sesamoid bone; the knee-cap |
| Physiotherapy | traditionally, treatment to ameliorate, restore and sometimes cure, using various techniques and exercise therapy and rehabilitation following injury or disease |
| Posterior | situated at the back |
| Quadriceps | having four heads. Quadriceps femoris large four-part extensor muscle of the anterior thigh |
| Spondylolisthesis | forward displacement of lumbar vertebral bodies, causing pressure on the nerve roots |
| Sprain | injury to the soft tissues surrounding a joint, resulting in discolouration, swelling and pain. It is caused by sudden overstretching of the surrounding ligaments and tendons without fracture or dislocation |
| Stenosis | narrowing of a channel or opening |
| Strain | 1. a group of micro-organisms within the same species, but having different characteristics. 2. condition due to stretching or unsuitable use of a body part |
| Tendon | a firm, white, fibrous inelastic cord which attaches muscle to bone |
| Tendonitis | inflammation of a tendon |
| Tenoplasty | a reconstructive operation on a tendon |
| Trauma | injury to the body |
| Vertebra | one of the irregular bones making up the spinal column. Vertebrae plural |
Edited by Chris Brooker
Copyright Elsevier Limited, 2006