Med Term Musculoskeletal System

What are the primary functions of the skeletal system?

Provides support, protects internal organs, facilitates movement, produces blood cells, stores minerals, and maintains homeostasis.

What components make up the skeletal system?

Bones, cartilage, ligaments, joints, and bursae.

What is the hardest tissue in the body?

Teeth, due to their enamel covering.

What are tendons?

Strong connective tissue bands that connect muscle to bone.

What is the role of ligaments?

Connect bone to bone.

What is a bursa?

A sac lined with synovial membrane that contains synovial fluid, found where tendons pass over bones.

What is cartilage?

A smooth, rubbery substance that acts as a shock absorber between bones.

What are the three types of bone cells?

Osteoclasts (destroy bone), osteoblasts (build bone), and osteocytes (maintain bone structure).

What is ossification?

The process where new minerals are deposited to form new bone, replacing previously formed cartilage.

How are bones classified by shape?

Long bones, short bones, flat bones, and irregular bones.

What is the diaphysis of a long bone?

The shaft of the long bone.

What are the two divisions of the skeleton?

The axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton.

What bones are included in the axial skeleton?

Skull, spinal column, ribs, and breastbone.

What are the major bones of the skull?

Frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, ethmoid, and sphenoid.

What is the difference between true ribs and false ribs?

True ribs attach directly to the sternum; false ribs do not.

What bones are included in the appendicular skeleton?

Bones of the arms, shoulder girdle, legs, and pelvic girdle.

What is the role of red bone marrow?

Manufactures products that help form blood cells.

What is yellow bone marrow primarily made of?

Fat cells, serving as a fat storage area.

What are synovial joints?

Freely movable joints, such as ball-and-socket and hinge joints.

What is the function of the synovial membrane?

Secretes synovial fluid that lubricates synovial joints.

What happens to bone mass after age 35?

Bone mass peaks and then gradually decreases, leading to potential bone loss.

What factors contribute to bone loss in the elderly?

Decreased activity, metabolic changes, and hormonal changes such as menopause.

What is the role of a chiropractor?

A medical professional specializing in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders.

What does an orthopedic surgeon specialize in?

Surgical treatment of musculoskeletal system disorders.

What is the function of an orthotist/prosthetist?

Designs and fits orthopedic braces and prosthetic limbs.

What does a podiatrist specialize in?

Diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle disorders.

What is the role of a rheumatologist?

Specializes in diagnosing and treating arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.

How many major muscles are in the human body?

There are 650+ major muscles.

What are muscles made of?

Muscle is made up of protein and water.

What are the four characteristics of muscle tissue?

Excitability, contractility, extensibility, and elasticity.

What is the primary function of muscles?

Movement, maintaining posture, supporting soft tissues, guarding entrances/exits, and generating heat.

What type of muscle is involuntary and makes up the heart?

Cardiac muscle.

What type of muscle is under voluntary control?

Skeletal muscle.

What is the function of smooth (visceral) muscle?

It makes up the walls of organs and blood vessels and is involuntary.

What is a tendon?

A strong fibrous connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone.

What is the origin of a muscle?

The attachment to an immovable bone.

What is the insertion of a muscle?

The attachment to a movable bone.

What is an agonist muscle?

A muscle that contracts to create the desired action.

What is a synergist muscle?

A muscle that helps the agonist.

What is an antagonist muscle?

A muscle that opposes the action of the agonist.

How are muscles named?

By origin, insertion, action, location, direction, number of divisions, size, and shape.

What is muscle tone?

The state of partial contraction of muscles at all times.

What is flexion in muscle movement?

Decreasing the angle of a joint.

What is extension in muscle movement?

Increasing the angle of a joint.

What is abduction?

Moving away from the midline of the body.

What is adduction?

Moving toward the midline of the body.

What is circumduction?

Moving in a circle at a joint.

What is rotation in muscle movement?

Turning a body part on its axis.

What is dorsiflexion?

The backward bending and contracting of the hand or foot.

What is plantar flexion?

The movement of the foot in a downward motion away from the body.

What is the role of motor neurons in muscle contraction?

Motor neurons stimulate muscle fibers to contract.

What is the significance of mitochondria in muscle cells?

Muscle cells contain many mitochondria, which are energy converters.

Axial skeleton

The skull, facial bones, sternum (breastbone), ribs, and vertebral column.

Appendicular skeleton

The shoulder girdle, the arm, wrist, and hand bones, the pelvic girdle, and the leg, ankle, and foot bones.

Functions of Bone

Support, protection, mineral storage, blood cell formation, anchoring and movement of muscles.

Long bones

Found in the extremities; the shaft is called the diaphysis and the end is called the epiphysis.

Short bones

Found in the hands and feet.

Flat bones

Protect organs and provide a broad surface for muscle attachment; examples include the cranium, facial bones, scapulae, and sternum.

Sesamoid bones

Embedded within tendons and enable joint movement; found in the patella, hands, wrists, and feet.

Irregular bones

Have unusual or irregular shapes; examples include vertebrae, jawbones, and coccyx.

Cortical bone

Also called compact bone; dense, hard, and strong, mainly around the diaphysis of long bones.

Cancellous bone

Also called trabecular bone; porous and less dense, mainly found in the epiphyses of long bones.

Diarthroses

Freely movable joints; examples include ball-and-socket, hinge, gliding, pivot, condylar, and saddle joints.

Amphiarthroses

Slightly movable joints; examples include ribs and pelvis.

Synarthroses

Immovable joints; example includes the cranium.

Synovial joints

Diarthroses joints that contain a membrane secreting synovial fluid, reducing friction during movement.

Bursa Sac

Contains synovial fluid and decreases friction between tissues.

Bone processes

Areas on bones that extend outward and serve as attachment zones for muscles and tendons.

Tubercule

A small round process found on many bones.

Trochanter

One of two large processes found on the femur.

Tuberosity

A large rough process found on many bones.

Condyle

A rounded-knuckle process at a joint.

Ankylosis

Abnormal stiffening and immobility of a joint due to fusion of the bones.

Osteoarthritis

Degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of cartilage.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

An autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints.

Gout

A form of arthritis characterized by severe pain, redness, and tenderness in joints.

Myeloma

A type of cancer that forms in plasma cells.

Ostealgia

Pain in the bone.

Osteomyelitis

An infection in the bone.

Osteosarcoma

A type of bone cancer that begins in the cells that form bones.

Scoliosis

An abnormal lateral curvature of the spine.

Subluxation

A partial dislocation of a joint.

Arthroscopy

Visual examination of a joint using a scope.

Bone density test

An X-ray test that determines loss of, or changes in bone density.

Bone marrow aspiration

Use of a syringe and needle to aspirate bone marrow.

Computerized tomography (CT)

Computer analyzes radiographic images of a specific section of the body from multiple angles.

Lumbar puncture

Needle aspiration of spinal canal fluid in the lumbar area.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Screening test that uses an electromagnetic field and radio waves to visualize soft-tissue structures.

Rheumatoid factor (RF)

Blood test used to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthrocentesis

Puncture of the joint space to remove accumulated fluid.

Bone grafting

Process of transplanting and implanting tissue from one part of the body to another.

Bursectomy

Surgical removal of the bursa.

Diskectomy

Surgical removal of a herniated vertebral disk.

Spondylosyndesis

Surgical fusion of joints between vertebrae.

Tenotomy

Incision to, or cutting of a tendon.

Analgesic

Drug that relieves pain.

Anti-inflammatory

Drug that counteracts inflammation.

Antipyretic

Drug that reduces fever.

Narcotic

Drug that relieves pain and induces sleep by depressing the CNS.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)

Drug that relieves pain, counteracts inflammation, and reduces fever.