Muscular/Skeletal System Med Terms

arthritis

Inflammation of a joint, usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness

arthroplasty

Surgery to reshape, reconstruct, or replace a diseased or damaged joint

articulate

Site of contact between two bones; also called a joint

contraction

Shortening or tightening of a muscle

musculoskeletal

Pertaining to muscles and the skeleton

radiography

The production of captured shadow images on photographic film through the action of ionizing radiation passing through the body from an external source

synovial fluid

Lubricating fluid secreted by the synovial membrane in the joint

fasc/i/o

band, fascia (fibrous membrane supporting and separating muscles)

fibr/o

fiber, fibrous tissue

leiomy/o

smooth muscle (visceral)

lumb/o

loins (lower back)

muscul/o

muscle

my/o

muscle

ten/o

tendon

tend/o

tendon

cervic/o

neck; cervix of uterus

cost/o

ribs

crani/o

cranium (skull)

humer/o

humerus (upper arm bone)

metacarp/o

metacarpus (hand bones)

phalang/o

phalanges (bones of fingers and toes)

spondyl/o

vertebra (backbone)

vertebr/o

vertebra

stern/o

sternum (breastbone)

cost/o

ribs

-al

pertaining to

calcane/o

calcaneum (heel bone)

calcane/o/dynia

pain in the heel

spondyl/o

used to form words about the condition of the vertebra

vertebr/o

used to form words that describe the vertebra structure

femor/o

femur (thigh bone)

fibul/o

fibula (smaller, outer bone of lower leg)

patell/o

patella (kneecap)

pelv/i

pelvis

pelv/o

pelvis

radi/o

radiation, x-ray; radius (lower arm bone, thumb side)

tibi/o

tibia (larger bone of lower leg)

ankyl/o

stiffness; bent, crooked

arthr/o

joint

chondr/o

cartilage

lamin/o

lamina (part of vertebral arch)

myel/o

bone marrow; spinal cord

orth/o

straight

oste/o

bone

-porosis

abnormal condition of porous bone

-clast

to break

-cele

hernia

-ectomy

removal

-itis

inflammation

-ics

pertaining to

-plegia

paralysis

hemi-

half

-sarcoma

malignant tumor of connective tissue

-dipsia

thirst

peri-

around

-um

structure, thing

-plasia

growth

hyper-

excessive

muscular dystrophy (MD)

Group of hereditary diseases causing progressive muscle degeneration and weakness

myasthenia gravis (MG)

Autoimmune neuromuscular disorder with fatigue and severe muscle weakness, especially facial

rotator cuff injury

Injury to shoulder joint capsule reinforced by muscles and tendons

sprain

Trauma to a joint causing ligament injury, pain, and disability

strain

Trauma to a muscle from overuse or excessive stretch

tendinitis

Inflammation of a tendon, usually from injury or overuse

torticollis

Spasmodic neck muscle contraction causing stiffness and twisting; also called wryneck

arthritis

Inflammation of a joint with pain, swelling, and structural changes

degenerative joint disease (DJD)

Arthritis with excessive uric acid accumulation

gout

Arthritis caused by excessive uric acid in the body

osteoarthritis (OA)

Degenerative joint disease with bone spurs and cartilage destruction

rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Chronic systemic inflammation of synovial membranes in multiple joints, leading to deformities and immobility

bunion

Deformity with lateral deviation of the great toe and enlargement at its base

carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)

Pain or numbness from compression of the median nerve in the wrist canal

contracture

Fibrosis of connective tissue that restricts normal mobility of skin, fascia, muscle, or joint

crepitation

Grating sound from bone ends rubbing together, indicating fracture or joint damage

Ewing sarcoma

Malignant bone marrow tumor, often in long bones or pelvis, common in adolescent boys

fracture (Fx)

Any break in a bone

ganglion cyst

Noncancerous, jelly-like fluid-filled lumps near tendons or joints, often in wrists or hands

herniated disk

Rupture of the nucleus pulposus between vertebrae; also called prolapsed disk

osteomyelitis

Infection involving all bone components, including bone marrow

osteoporosis

Decreased bone density and increased porosity, causing brittle bones and fracture risk

-porosis

porous

Paget disease

Abnormal bone destruction and regrowth causing deformity, often in pelvis, skull, spine, and legs

Rickets

Childhood osteomalacia due to vitamin D deficiency; also called rachitis

Sequestrum

Fragment of necrosed bone separated from surrounding tissue

Talipes equinovarus

Congenital deformity with inward-turned foot; also called clubfoot

spinal curvatures

Abnormal deviation of the spine causing misalignment or exaggeration, as in kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis

kyphosis

Increased curvature of the thoracic spine, leading to humpback posture; also called hunchback

lordosis

Forward curvature of the lumbar spine, leading to swayback posture

scoliosis

Sideward curvature of the spine causing pain, disk disease, or arthritis

kyph-

humpback

lord-

curve, swayback

scoli-

crooked, bent

-osis

abnormal condition; increase

spondylitis

Inflammation of one or more vertebrae

ankylosing spondylitis

Chronic inflammatory disease causing fusion and immobility of vertebrae; also called rheumatoid spondylitis

spondylolisthesis

Partial forward dislocation of one vertebra over another; often L5 over S1

subluxation

Partial or incomplete dislocation of a bone from its joint; also called partial dislocation

spondyl/o

vertebra (backbone)

-itis

inflammation

-listhesis

slipping