Term | Definition |
AE | Most often - seen in documentation when referencing above- elbow amputation. |
AK | Most often- seen in documentation when referencing above- knee amputation. |
AP | Anterioposterior |
BE | Below elbow -- same context as AE |
BK | Below knee- same context as AK |
C1,C2, etc. | Cervical vertebra |
C1-C7 | Cervical vertebrae, 1 through 7 |
CR | Closed reduction |
CTS | Carpal tunnel syndrome |
DIP | Distal Interphalangeal Joint |
DJD | Degenerative joint disease |
DTR | Deep tendon reflex |
EMG | Electromyography |
FM | Fibromyalgia |
Fx | Fracture |
IS | Intracostal space |
L1,L2, etc. | Lumbar vertebra |
L1-L5 | Lumbar vertebrae, 1 through 5 |
MCP | Metacarpophalangeal joint |
OA | Osteoarthritis |
ORIF | Open reduction internal fixation |
PKR | Partial knee replacement |
PIP | Proximal intraphalangeal joint |
ROM | Range of motion |
S1, S2, etc. | Sacral vertebra |
T1, T2, etc. | Thoracic vertebra |
T1-T12 | Thoracic vertebrae, 1 through 12 |
TENS | Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation |
THA | Total hip arthroplasty |
THR | Total hip replacement |
TKA | Total knee arthroplasty |
TKR | Total knee replacement |
Muscles | Which holds the erect & allows movement |
Bones | Which are connective tissues that protect the internal organs & form the framework of the body. |
Cartilage | Thin sheets of fibrous connective tissue. |
Joints | Allow for bending & rotating movements. |
Ligaments | Are bands of connective tissue that connect the joints. |
Synovia | Is the fluid that acts as a lubricant for the joints, tendon sheath, or a bursa. |
Bursa | Is the synovial-filled sac that works as a cushion to assist in movement. |
Fascia | Is the connective tissue that not only covers but also supports & separates muscles. |
Infectious arthropathies | Are disorders of the joints that are caused by an infectious agent. |
Arthritis | An inflammation of a joint. |
Rheumatism | Which is a general term for deterioration & inflammation of connective tissues including muscle, tendons. synovium & bursa. |
Rheumatiod Arthritis (RA) | Which is a disease of the autoimmune system in which synovia membranes are inflamed & thickened. |
Osteoarthritis (OA) | Is also referred to as "degenerative arthritis" because it causes the degeneration of the articular cartilage. |
Degenerative Joint Disease | Is frequently used to describe this type of osteoarthritis. |
Dorsopathies | Which are disorders of the back. |
Ankylosing spondylitis | A form of rheumatoid arthritis. It is a chronic inflammation of the spine & sacroiliac joints. |
Ankylosis | Is the complete fusion of the vertebrae. |
Spondylitis | Inflammation of the vertebrae. |
Myelopathy | Refers to any disorder of the spinal cord. |
Herniated disc | Is a result of the rupture of the nucleus pulposus, or the material in the center of the disc. |
Myositis | An inflammation of the muscle. |
Bursitis | An inflammation of the bursa. |
Osteoporosis | Is a reduction in the bone mass that is responsible for different conditions that can affect a person's health. |
Aporosity | A swiss cheese appearance of the bones, creating a decrease in bone mass. |
Dawager's Hump | An abnormal curvature in the upper thoracic spine |
(Pathological )Compression Fracture of the Spine | Occurs when the vertebrae becomes weak & collapse under low stress |
Colles Fracture | Is a wrist fracture that typically occurs when a person tries to break a fall by extending the arm. |
Pathological fracture | Is a break of a diseased bone that occurs from a minor stress or injury that would not normally occur in a healthy bone. |
Stress fracture | Occurs when repetitive force is applied to a bone over a period of time. |
Malunion fracture | Occurs when the fracture site is misaligned. |
Nonunion | Occurs when the fracture fragments fall to unite. |
Arthrodesis | Surgical repair or reconstruction fixation of a joint. |
Arthroplasty | Plastic surgery of a joint. |
Arthroscopy | Examination of the interior of a joint by use of an arthroscope. |
Arthrotomy | A surgical incision of a joint. |
Closed treatment | Treatment of fracture sites. When closed treatment occurs, the fracture site is not surgically exposed or opened. |
Debridement | The removal of foreign material or devitalized of contaminated tissue from an area. |
Dislocation | The displacement of a bone from normal anatomical position. |
Exostosis | A benign bony growth that projects from the surface of a bone. |
Fixation | The process of suturing or fastening a structure in place. |
Manipulation | The reduction of a dislocation or fracture. |
Muscle | Tissue that is composed of fibers and cells that cause movement and able to contract. There are 3 types of muscles: striated, cardiac, and smooth. |
Open treatment | Treatment of a fracture when the site is surgically exposed and visualized. The site may have been opened for placement of internal fixation, but this does not always occur. |
Osectomy | Removal of bone. |
Oteoclasis | The process of creating a surgical fracture of a bone to correct a deformity. |
Osteoplasty | Plastic surgery completed on bone tissue. |
Osteotomy | Sawing or cutting of a bone. |
Percutaneous skeletal fixation | Fracture treatment in which the fracture site is neither opened nor closed. Fixation is placed across the fracture site, typically under the guidance of x-ray imaging. |
Skeletal traction | The application of force to a limb by a clamp, pin, screw, or wire that is attached to bone. |
Skin traction | The application of force to a limb using felt that is applied to the skin. |
Tendon | A dense fibrous band of connective tissue that attaches muscles to bones. |
Wound Exploration | Is completed to determine the extent of an injury and includes surgical exploration of the wound area with enlargement of the wound. |
Imaging guidance | Is the use of radiological techniques or procedures to visualize the placement of a needle, a catheter, or another device. |
Incision | Are made into musculoskeletal structures |
Excision | Is the surgical removal of tissue or a structure |
Fasciectomy | Removal of fascia |
Osteoectomy | Removal of bone |
Synoveectomy | Removal of the synovial membrane of a joint |
Curettage | The process of removing tissue by scraping |
Closed reduction | Occurs by manually applying force to the injured area without making an incision into the skin. |
Open reduction | Occurs when the site is surgically opened to realign the area. |
External fixation | Involves the placement of pins through soft tissue and into the bone in order to hold an external appliance in place. |
Internal fixation (ORIF) | Occurs when pins or a plate are internally place into the bone to hold the fracture. |
Strapping | An area is done by using tape or bandage material to bind, protect, or immobilize an anatomical structure. |
Casts | Are fiberglass or plaster rigid dressings. |
Static splint | Is used to prohibit mobility. |
Dynamic splint | Is used to allow limited mobility. |
Diagnostic endoscopy/arthroscopy | Is completed to determine the extent of an injury or disease process and establish a diagnosis. |
Surgical endoscopy/arthroscopy | Is performed to surgically treat an injury or condition or abnormality of a joint. |