Musculoskeletal System | Des Moines University

Terms

oste/o

bone

chondr/o

cartilage

arthr/o

joint

myel/o

bone marrow

ten/o, tendin/o

tendon (binds muscle to bone)

ligament/o

ligament (bind bone to bone)

burs/o

bursa “bag”

my/o, myos/o

muscle

-malacia

softening

-porosis

porous

-asthenia

weakness

-trophy

development

-algia, algesia

pain

Musculoskeletal System Diseases

Arthritis

joint tissues become less resilient to wear and tear and start to degenerate

Osteoporosis

“porous bone”

• bones lose density

Osteomalacia

“soft bones”

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

tingling and/or pain in their thumb, index & middle fingers

• repeated flexion of their wrist (typing, house painting)

Tendonitis

repeated strain on a tendon

Rotator Cuff Tear

hard fast movements such as in tennis and baseball can tear one of the tendons

Bursitis

inflammation of bursa (shock absorber)

Muscular Dystrophy

a group of inherited diseases in which the muscles that control movement progressively weaken

Myasthenia Gravis

“muscular weakness, profound”

• an autoimmune disease that involves production of antibodies that interfere with nerves stimulating muscle contractions

Lupus Erythematosus

an autoimmune disease wherein the body produces antibodies against a variety of organs (especially connective tissues of skin and joints)

Musculoskeletal System Procedures

Orthopaedist

“to straighten up children”

• they treat children with spine and limb deformities but also adults with complicated bone fractures

Rheumatologist

“to study the flux of fluids”

• they treat joint diseases such as various forms of arthritis

Osteopath/osteopathic Physician (D.O)

a licensed physician who diagnoses and treats patients, with additional training focused on the musculoskeletal system and whole-person care

Podatrist

“foot doctor”

Physical Therapist

healthcare professional who helps restore movement, reduce pain, and improve physical function through exercise and other treatments

Arthroscopy

minimally invasive surgical procedure that uses a small camera inserted into a joint to diagnose and treat joint problems

Bone Scan

an imaging test that uses a small amount of radioactive material to detect abnormal bone activity, such as fractures, infections, or tumors

Electromyography

a test that measures the electrical activity of muscles to evaluate muscle and nerve function

Muscle Biopsy

a procedure that removes a small sample of muscle tissue to examine it for disease or abnormal changes