Medical Terminology: Musculoskeletal System

brachi/o

arm

Epiphysis

the end part of a long bone, initially growing separately from the shaft

Metaphysis

the region where the epiphysis joins the diaphysis

Diaphysis

The shaft or central part of a long bone.

Axial Skeleton

Central part of skeleton which protects soft vital organs

Consists of sternum, vertebrae, skull and ribs

Appendicular skeleton

Any bones that are not sternum, vertebrae, skull or ribs!

ankyl/o

stiff, bent

kinesi/o

movement, motion

arthr/o

joint

lumb/o

loin, lower back

brachi/o

arm

muscul/o

muscle

burs/o bursa

(a small fluid-filled sac found near the body’s joint)

my/o, myos/o

muscle

carp/o

wrist

oste/o

bone

cervic/o

neck

-physis

growth

chondr/o

cartilage

spondyl/o

Vertebra

cost/o

rib

tars/o

ankle

crani/o

head, skull

tax/o

arrangement, order, coordination

dactyl/o

finger

ten/o, tend/o, tendin/o

tendon

fasci/o

fascia (fibrous connective tissue binding muscles together)

tibi/o

tibia (shinbone)

femor/o

femur (thighbone)

ton/o

tone, tension

costalgia

rib pain (cost / algia = rib / pain)

metatarsalgia

pain in the bones of the foot (meta / tars / algia = after / ankle / pain)

ostalgia/ostealgia

bone pain (ost / algia = bone / pain)

osteodynia

bone pain (osteo / dynia = bone / pain)

spondylodynia

vertebra pain (spondylo / dynia = vertebra / pain)

tibialgia

tibia pain (tibi / algia = tibia / pain)

ankylosis

joint stiffness (ankyl / osis = stiff / condition)

arthralgia

joint pain (arthr / algia = joint / pain)

arthrodynia

joint pain (arthro / dynia = joint / pain)

cervicodynia

neck pain (cervico / dynia = neck / pain)

crepitation

a crackling sound heard in joints

genu valgum

knock-kneed

genu varum

Bowlegged

bradykinesia

slow movement (brady / kinesia = slow / movement)

dyskinesia

inability to control movement (dys / kinesia = bad / movement)

dystaxia

poor coordination (dys / taxia = bad / coordination)

dystonia

poor muscle tone (dys / tonia = bad / muscle tone)

graphospasm

writer’s cramp (grapho / spasm = write / involuntary contraction)

hyperkinesia

increase in muscle movement or activity (hyper / kinesia = over / movement)

hypertonia

increased muscle tone or tightness (hyper / tonia = over / muscle tone)

hypokinesia

decrease in muscle movement or activity (hypo / kinesia = under / movement)

hypotonia

decrease in muscle tone or tightness (hypo / tonia = under / muscle tone)

myalgia

muscle pain (my / algia = muscle / pain)

myasthenia

(my / asthenia = muscle / weakness) = muscle weakness

myodynia

muscle pain (myo / dynia =muscle / pain)

myospasm

muscle spasm (myo / spasm = muscle / involuntary contraction)

tenalgia

tendon pain (ten / algia = tendon / pain)

arthrocentesis

puncture of a joint (arthro / centesis = joint / puncture)

arthroscope

instrument for looking into a joint (arthro / scope = joint / instrument to look)

arthroscopy

procedure of looking into a joint (arthro / scopy = joint / procedure to look)

electromyogram

a record of the electrical activity of a muscle (electro / myo / gram = electricity / muscle / record)

electromyography

procedure for measuring the electrical activity of a muscle (electro / myo / graphy = electricity / muscle / writing procedure)

myography

procedure for studying muscles (myo / graphy = muscle / writing procedure)

arthrogram

visual record of a joint (arthro / gram = joint / record)

arthrography

procedure used to examine a joint (arthro / graphy = joint / writing procedure)

computed axial tomography (CAT or CT)

imaging procedure using a computer to produce cross sections along an axis (axi / al tomo / graphy = axis / pertaining to cut / writing procedure)

kyphosis

humped back; abnormal forward curvature of the upper spine (kyph / osis = bent / condition)

lordosis

sway back; abnormal forward curvature of the lower spine (lord / osis = bent backward / condition)

scoliosis

crooked back; abnormal lateral curvature of the spine

carpitis

wrist inflammation (carp / itis = wrist / inflammation)

craniomalacia

softening of the skull (cranio / malacia = skull / softening)

exostosis

an abnormal growth of bone out of another bone (ex / ost / osis = out / bone / condition)

fracture

a bone break

Transverse

Oblique

Spiral

Angulated

Displaced

Angulated & displaced

osteodystrophy

osteolysis

bone loss (osteo / lysis = bone / loss)

osteonecrosis

death of bone (osteo / necr / osis = bone / death / condition)

osteosclerosis

abnormal hardening of bone (osteo / scler / osis = bone / hardening / condition)

polydactyly

having more than the normal number of fingers (or toes)

Spondylitis

Inflammation of the spine (spondyl / itis = vertebra / inflammation)

spondylomalacia

softening of the vertebra (spondylo / malacia = vertebra / softening)

syndactyly

fusion (sometimes called webbing) of fingers (or toes) (syn / dactyl / y = together / finger / condition)

tarsoptosis

Flat feet (tarso / ptosis = ankle / drooping condition)

bursolith

a stone in a bursa (burso / lith = bursa / stone)

effusion

fluid buildup (ef / fusion = out / pour)

hemarthrosis

blood in a joint (hem / arthr / osis = blood / joint / condition)

hydrarthrosis

water (fluid) in a joint (hydr / arthr / osis = water / joint / condition)

pyarthrosis

Pus in joint (py / arthr / osis = pus / joint / condition)

atrophy

underdevelopment, decrease, or loss of muscle tissue (a / trophy = no / nourishment)

hypertrophy

overdevelopment of muscle tissue (hyper / trophy = over / nourishment)

myocele

hernia of muscle tissue (myo / cele = muscle / hernia)

myolysis

loss of muscle tissue (myo / lysis = muscle / loss)

myomalacia

softening of a muscle (myo / malacia = muscle / softening)

myosclerosis

hardening of a muscle (myo / scler / osis = muscle / hardening / condition)

myotasis

stretching of a muscle (myo / tasis = muscle / expansion)