Term | Definition |
articulation | any joint |
bursa | sac of fluid near a joint; promotes smooth sliding of one tissue against another |
ligament | connective tissue binding bones to other bones; supports, strengthens, and stabilizes the joints |
suture joint | joint in which apposed surfaces are closely united; motion in minimal |
synovial cavity | space between bones at a synovial joint; contains synovial fluid produced by the synovial membrane |
synovial fluid | viscous (sticky) fluid within the synovial cavity. similar in viscosity to egg white |
synovial joint | a freely movable joint |
synovial membrane | membrane lining the synovial cavity; it produces synovial fluid |
tendon | connective tissue that binds muscles to bones |
arthritis | inflammation of joints |
ankylosing spodylitis | chronic, progressive arthritis with stiffening of joints, primarily of the spine |
gouty arthritis | inflammation and painful swelling of joints caused by excessive uric acid in the body |
osteoarthritis (OA) | progressive, degenerative joint disease charecterized by loss of articular cartilage and hypertrophy of bone (formation of osteophytes, or bone spurs) at articular surfaces |
rheumatoid arthritis (RA) | chronic disease in which joints become inflamed and painful. it is believed to be caused by an immune (autoimmune) reaction against joint tissues, particularly against the synovial membrane |
bunion | abnormal swelling of the medial aspect of the joint between the big tow and the first metatarsal bone |
carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) | compression (by a wrist ligament) of the median nerve as it passes between the legament and the bones and tendons of the wrist |
dislocation | displacement of a bone from its joint |
ganglion | a fluid-filled cyst arising from the joint capsule or a tendon in the wrist |
herniation of an intervertebral disk (disc) | abnormal protrusion of a fibrocartilaginous intervertebral disk into the neural canal or spinal nerves |
lyme disease | a recurrent disorder marked by severe arthritis, myalgia, malaise, and neurologic and cardiac symptoms |
sprain | trauma to a joint with, swelling, and injury to ligaments |
systemic lupus erythematosus | chronic inflammatory disease involving joints, skin, kidneys, nervous system, heart, and lungs |