Medical terminology

Osteoporosis

Bones become weak and brittle (easily broken) due to a decrease in bone mass and density. 

Osteoarthritis

joint cartilage degeneration, where the cartilage that lines end of the bone in the joint gradually break down and wear away.

RA

Rheumatoid arthritis:

Autoimmune joint inflammation- the immune system attacks its own joints, causing uncontrolled inflammation. 

Muscular dystrophy

genetic disease that makes muscles weaker, affecting walking and movement. 

Sprain

Ligament injury that stretches or tears the ligament by a sudden twist or fall. Causing pain, swelling, and bruising around the joint. 

Strain

muscle/tendon injury

Femur

The thigh bone; the longest and strongest bone in the body, support body weight and help with walking and running.  

Humerus

The upper arm bone between shoulder and elbow, allows arm movement.

Tibia

Tibia or shin bone; weight-bearing bone of the lower leg, supports most of body weight.

Fibula

The thinner bone on the outside of the lower leg, stabilize ankle and support muscle.

Biceps muscle

front of the upper arm, bend (flex) the elbow

Triceps muscle

Back of upper arm →  (extends) the elbow 

Quadricep muscle

Front of thigh → Straightens the knee

Hamstring muscle

Back of thigh → Bends the knee 

X-ray

Test that uses a small amount of ionizing radiation to create pictures of the inside of the body, especially for bones and certain organs. 

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging:

Used to visualize soft tissues (muscle, ligaments, and brain) and not effective for bone, but can be used for the interior joints. 

CT scan

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan:

A test that uses multiple X-rays and a computer to create detailed cross-sectional or "sliced 3D" images of the inside of the body. 

EMG

Electromyography:

Measures muscle electrical activity and its nerve. 

Arthroscopy

A test that inserts a small camera called an arthroscope into a joint through a small incision (cut) to look inside and diagnose problems. 

Osteomyelitis

Bone infection caused by bacteria. 

CFS

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

 Chronic illness causing severe fatigue (tiredness) 

Ortho

Orthopedics:

specialty for bones, muscles and joints.

AKA

Above-the-Knee Amputation:

Surgical removal of the leg above the knee

NSAID

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug:

Medicine that reduces pain, inflammation, and fever.

ADLs

Activities of Daily Living:

Basic self-care tasks (such as dressing, bathing, feeding, and toileting)

Myasthenia Gravis 

Autoimmune disease causes muscle weakness because nerve signals do not properly activate the muscles. 

OT

Occupational Therapy:

Therapy to Improve daily living skills including ADLs and working.

ACL

Anterior Cruciate Ligament:

strong ligament inside the knee that provides stability 

Ossicles

Transmit vibrations from sound waves in the air to the cochlea within the ear

Greenstick fracture

makes the bone bend and crack instead of breaking into pieces 

SLE

Systemic lupus erythematosus:

disease causes an overactive and misdirected immune system that affects the entire body and can cause joint pain, fatigue, and hair loss.  

Pathological fracture

the bone breaks in an area that is weakened by disease 

Allogeneic

cells or tissues that come from another person. 

Prosthesis

substitute or replacement for a missing limb. 

ORIF

Open Reduction and Internal Fixation:

Surgery to repair a broken bone.

Tenorrhaphy

surgical suturing of tendon to repair it and allow for healing.

Anemia

Low erythrocyte (red blood cell) count in the blood, resulting in fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath because less oxygen is delivered to body tissues. 

Aneurysm

balloon-like enlargement in the artery wall caused by a weakness in the arterial wall. If it’s ruptured(burst), it can cause serious internal bleeding. 

Angina

Chest pain that occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood, leading to pressure or fullness in the chest.  

Arteriosclerosis

Thickening and hardening of the arterial walls that reduce blood flow in arteries and can cause high blood pressure, heart attack, or stroke.