Glossary Of Terms

Abduction	Motion directed away from the midline of the body. (Opposite of adduction.)
Active motion	Joint motion carried out by the patient.
Adduction	Motion toward the midline of the body.
Annulus fibrosis	The highly elastic fibrocarti laginous envelope about each intervertebral disk. A tear of this membrane and dislodging of the inner cartilage leads to extrusion of the nucleus pulposus of the disk.
Arthritis	Inflammation of a joint.
Arthroplasty	Surgery of a joint to make or increase movement.
Atrophy	Wasting away with diminution in size of cell, tissue, organ or part.
Bursa	A small fluid filled sac situated over the bony prominence (usually) and serving to relieve friction and pressure.
Cartilage	This tissue is commonly called gristle. It covers the ends of the bones and facilitates their gliding action within the joints.
Cervical	Pertaining to the neck.
Chondromalacia	Softness of the articular cartilage, usually involving the patella.
Clonus	Spasmodic alternation of muscular contraction and relaxation
Crepitation	A crackling sound heard in certain conditions such as the rale heard in pneumonia or the grating sound heard on movement of ends of a broken bone.
Dislocation	The displacement of any part, more especially of a bone at a joint.
Dorsal	Refers to that region of the back which extends from the neck down to the lumbar region; also refers to the back, or posterior aspect of any part of an extremity.
Dorsiflexion	Bending toward the dorsal aspect, as the wrist refers to lifting the wrist up.
Dysplasia	Abnormality of development.
Dystrophy	Defective or faulty nutrition.
Effusion	Escape of fluid into a pad, as the pleural cavity, such as hemothorax (blood), pneumothorax (air), etc.
Extension	From an orthopaedic standpoint, this term is used to mean the straightening of a joint. The opposite of flexion or bending.
Flexion	(Bending) The opposite of extension or straightening.
Fusion	The formation of an ankylosis, either following injury, disease or surgically produced.
Hyperextension	Extreme or excessive extension.
Idiopathic	Of unknown cause.
Kyphosis	Humpback. Curving posteriorward
Lateral	Outer. Away from the sagittal plane of the body
Ligament	A band of fibrous tissue that connects bones or cartilage.
Lordosis	Curving anteriorward. Curvature of the spinal column with a forward convexity
Lumbar	Pertaining to the part of the back which extends from the lowest ribs down to the upper border of the pelvis.
Orthopaedics	The branch of surgery which deals with the bones and joints and other structures closely related to them.
Paresthesia	Sensation of numbness, prickling or tingling or heightened sensitivity.
Passive motion	Movement of a patient's joint by a person who is examining or treating the patient. Contrast with active motion which is carried out by the patient himself.
Prespondylolisthesis (Spondylolysis)	A vertebral defect predisposing to spondylolisthesis. The condition consists of a congenital anomaly causing a separation of the articular facets, usually in the lumbar spine, symptoms of low back pain and sciatica may result. Treatment consists of supports and other orthopaedic measures.
Sacrum	The lower five vertebrae fused together and joined with the pelvis.
Sacroiliac	The joint between the sacrum and pelvic bone and ilium
Scoliosis	Abnormal curvature of the vertebral column, a lateral curvature
Spinal Fusion Operation	A bone operation which results in strengthening of the spinal column by obliteration of the joints between some of the vertebrae.
Spondylolisthesis	A defect in a vertebra between the pedicle and the lamina with forward displacement of the upper facet and the vertebra above.
Supination	A turning of the hand so that the palm faces upward. The opposition of pronation.
Synovium	The lining of a joint
Tendon	The strong fibrous cord or "leader" which connects a muscle to the bone which it is designated to move.
Thoracic	Pertaining to the thorax or chest.
Tonus	The slight, continuous contraction of muscle, which in skeletal muscles aid in the maintenance of posture and in the return of blood to the heart.
Traction	A pulling force, often provided by weights hung over the end of the bed and attached to some part of the body by means of tape, etc.