Skeletal System (Medical Assisting) Terms

Arthralgia

Condition of joint pain

Bradykinesia

Abnormally slow movement is a clinical sign of an underlying
bone, muscle, or nervous disorder.

Decalcification

Abnormal reduction of calcium in bone

Dyskinesia

“Condition of bad”, abnormal, painful, or difficult motion

Dystrophy

“Process of bad, abnormal, painful, or difficult development,
produces musculoskeletal dysfunction

Arthrochondritis

Articular cartilage within synovial joints undergoes
inflammation, resulting in joint pain during movements

Bunion

Abnormal enlargement of the joint, at base of the big toe

Bursitis

Inflammation, purse or sac, refers to a saclike bursa that cushions certain joints

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

“Repetitive stress injury of the wrist”.

Carpoptosis

“Wrist drop” weakness of the wrist, resulting in difficulty
supporting the hand.

Fracture

Clinical term for a break in a bone

Gout

Abnormal accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints

Herniated Disk

“Rupture of an intervertebral disk” causes pressure against
spinal nerves or the spinal cord

Kyphosis

“Upper thoracic curve bends posteriorly” hump at the upper back

Lordosis

“Exaggerated anterior spinal curve” lumbar area, “bent forward”

Scoliosis

“Lateral curvature of the spine”, with a congenital origin, usually in the thoracic or lumbar regions

Myeloma

“Tumor of red bone marrow”, red bone marrow is the site of blood
cell formation

Osteitis

“Inflammation of bone”

Osteosarcoma

“Bone cancer arising from connective tissue, usually within
the bone itself.”

Osteomyelitis

“Inflammation of red bone marrow and bone”

Osteoporosis

“Condition of holes in bone”, abnormal loss of bone density is a
common result of aging

Rickets

Bones become softened due to the excessive removal of calcium for other body functions.

Arthrocentesis

“Surgical puncture”, withdrawn by suction, through a puncture
into the synovial cavity of the joint

Arthroplasty

“Surgical repair” procedure to repair a joint

Chiropractic

Field of therapy that is centered on the manipulation of bones and joints, most commonly the vertebral column

Costectomy

Surgery involving removal of a rib

Craniotomy

To perform surgery on the brain, “surgeon enters the
cranial cavity”

Diskectomy

Surgical procedure that is used frequently to reduce the pain of a
herniated disk by surgically removing the “intervertebral disk”

Ostectomy

Surgical removal, or excision, of bone tissue

Osteoplasty

“Surgical repair of bone”

Podiatry

Specialty that focuses on foot

Podiatrist

Healthcare professional trained in this field.

Vertebroplasty

Surgical procedure that repairs damaged or diseased
vertebrae”