Question | Answer |
muscular dystrophy | genetically transmitted disorder characterized by progressive symmetrical wasting of skeletal muscles |
strain | injury to the body of the muscle or attachment of the tendon, resulting from overstretching, overextension, or misuse (muscle pull) |
electromyography | process of recording the strength of the contraction of a muscle when it is stimulated by an electric current |
arthritis | inflammation of joints |
bunion | abnormal enlargement of the joint at the base of the great toe |
ganglion | cystic tumor developing on a tendon; usually back of the wrist |
gout | acute arthritis that is characterized by inflammation on the first metetarsal joint of the great toe |
lyme disease | acute recurrent inflammatory infection transmitted through the bite of an infected deer tick; characterized by a red, circular rash and flu like symptoms |
osteoarthritis | most common form of arthritis and results from wear and tear on the joint; especially weight bearing joints like hips and knees |
rheumatoid arthritis | chronic, sytemic, inflammatory disease that affect multiple joints of the body - mainly small peripheral joint, such as in the hands and foot (characterized by joint pain, stiffness, limitation of movement & fatigue) |
arthroplasty | surgical reconstruction (repair) of a joint |
articular cartilage | thin layer of carilage protecting and covering the connecting surfaces of bone |
bursa | small sac that contains synovial fluid for lubricating the area around the joint where friction is most likely to occur |
hinge joint | joint that allows movement in one direction; a back-and-forth motion (elbow) |
ball-and-socket joint | joint that allows movements in many directions around a central joint (hip) |
closed reduction | manual forcing of a joint back into its original position without making an incision; also called closed manipulation |
crepitation | clicking or crackling sounds heard upon joint movement; may be heard in osteorarthritis |
joint cavity | space between two connecting bones |
flexion | bending motion that decreases the angle between two bones |
adduction | movement of a bone toward the midline of the body |
extension | straightening motion that increases the angle between two bones |
abduction | movement of a bone away from the midline of the body |
rotation | turning of a bone on its own axis |
pronation | act of turning the palm downward or backward |
supination | act of turning the palm up or forward |
plantar flexion | flexion of the foot, beinding the foot downward, at the ankle, as in ballet dancing |
dorsiflexion | bending the foot backward, or upward, at the ankle |
circumduction | movement of an extremity around in a circular motion; performed with ball-and-socket joints as in the shoulder and hip |
kyphosis | humpback |
malaise | vague feeling of weakness |
atrophy | wasting away; "without development" |
insertion | point of attachment of a muscle to a bone; more mobile |
arthralgia | pain in the joints |
contracture | abnormal (usually permanent) bending of a joint into a fixed position; usually caused by atrophy and shortening of muscle fibers |
torso | main part of the body; also known as trunk and midsection |
fascia | thin sheets of fibrous connective tissue that penetrate and cover the entire muscle |
synovial fluid | thick lubricating fluid located in synovial joints |
sciatica | inflammation of the sciatic nerve, marked by pain and tenderness along the path of the nerve through the thigh and leg |
viscous | sticky; gelatinous |
photosensitivity | increased reaction of the skin to exposure to sunlight |
subluxation | incomplete dislocation |
involuntary muscle | muscles that act without conscious control; controlled by the autonomic nervous system and hormones |
pelvic girdle weakness | weakness of the muscles of the pelvic girdle; found in muscular dystrophy |
bunionectomy | surgical removal of a bunion; removing the bony overgrowth ant eh bursa |
suture | immovable joint; such as a fibrous joint |