Lesson 2 Chapter 3: Common Disorders of the Skeletal System

Pathological

The bone breaks in an area that is weakened by disease, such osteoporosis, some cancers, infection, and certain inherited bone disorders.

Stress

Common among athletes, this is a small crack in a bone caused by overuse and repetitive activity.

Closed

The broken bone doesn’t break the skin

Open

The ends of the broken bone tear through the skin, putting the patient at higher risk of infection.

Greenstick

The bone bends and cracks instead of breaking into pieces.

Comminuted

The bone is splintered or crushed into small pieces.

Spiral

At least one part of the bone has been twisted.

Oblique

The break occurs at an angle across the bone

Transverse

The break occurs straight across the bone

Colles’

A break of the radius bone close to the wrist that results from a fall onto an outstretched hand.

Hairline

The bone is broken in a thin crack. This type of fracture is hard to detect on routine x-ray.

Arthritis

a term that refers to more than 100 types of joint diseases. These conditions consume a tremendous amount of healthcare resources and cause considerable disability.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a "wear and tear" arthritis. That means that, over time, there is a gradual loss of cartilage from the joints, resulting in pain, stiffness, and swelling. Advancing age is one of the strongest risk factors for developing OA. Pain can often be managed with lifestyle changes, physical therapy, or medications. Joint replacement surgery is often indicated.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

a painful autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the joints with uncontrolled inflammation. If this inflammation remains unchecked, the result is bone erosion and irreversible joint deformity. RA most commonly affects the joints of the hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and feet. There is no cure for RA, but medications often slow or prevent joint damage.

Psoriatic Arthritis

causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling and may result in permanent joint damage if not treated aggressively. No cure exists for psoriatic arthritis, but inflammation can often be controlled with medications.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

also have an overactive and misdirected immune system. SLE is a systemic disease, meaning it affects the entire body. It can cause joint pain, fatigue, hair loss, sensitivity to light, fever, rash, and kidney problems. The signs and symptoms of SLE vary widely from person to person and are treated with medications.

Avascular necrosis

a- means without, vascul/o means blood vessels, -ar means pertaining to, necrosis means tissue death. Avascular necrosis of the bone is death of bone tissue due to insufficient blood flow

Osteitis

inflammation of a bone

Radiculopathy

the compression of a nerve in the spine, also known as pinched nerve, causing pain, numbness, or weakness

Spinal stenosis

A narrowing of the spaces within the spine. This can press on the nerves and spinal cord, causing pain

Multiple myeloma

a type of cancer found in the bone marrow

Osteochondroma

a growth of bony tissue covered in cartilage. It is benign

Osteoporosis

a disease that causes loss of bone density and increase in small holes within the cone tissue

Osteopenia

a thinner bone density than normal and can lead to ostoporosis