Musculoskeletal Basic Concepts and Common Conditions

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the basic anatomy, movements, and common conditions of the musculoskeletal system based on nursing lecture notes.

Skeleton

The internal supporting structure of the body composed of $206$ bones.

Sutures

A narrow fibrous joint that holds most bones of the skull together.

Ligaments

Strong bands of fibrous connective tissue that strengthen and support joints by anchoring bones together and preventing their separation.

Skeletal Muscles

Voluntary muscles attached to the skeleton that produce movement, maintain posture, protect internal organs, and generate body heat.

Cardiac Muscles

Involuntary muscles located only in the heart and controlled by the autonomic nervous system.

Smooth Muscle

Involuntary muscle controlled by the autonomic nervous system that makes up organs, blood vessels, the digestive tract, and skin.

Tendons

Strong bands of dense, regular connective tissue that connect muscles to bones.

Muscle atrophy

The thinning or loss of muscle tissue, classified into physiologic, pathologic, and neurogenic types.

Physiologic atrophy

Muscle loss caused by disuse, often occurring in people who are bedridden, have seated jobs, or are in environments lacking gravity.

Pathologic atrophy

Muscle loss associated with aging, starvation, and the long-term use of corticosteroids.

Neurogenic atrophy

The most severe type of muscle atrophy caused by an injured or diseased nerve connecting to the muscle, such as in polio or spinal cord injuries.

Synovial joints

The most common type of joint in the body, featuring a fluid-filled joint cavity where articulating bone surfaces move smoothly against each other.

Articular cartilage

Smooth, white tissue covering the ends of bones at a joint that reduces friction and allows bones to glide over each other.

Synovial fluid

A thick, slimy fluid secreted by the synovial membrane that provides lubrication to reduce friction between bones in a joint.

Ball-and-socket joint

A type of synovial joint, such as the hip or shoulder, that allows for flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and rotation.

Hinge joint

A type of joint, such as the knee, that primarily allows for flexion and extension.

Patella

A bone incorporated into the tendon of the quadriceps muscle that protects the tendon from friction against the distal femur.

Meniscus

A C-shaped fibrocartilage (medial or lateral) that provides padding between the articulating surfaces of the femur and tibia.

Abduction

Movement of a limb away from the midline of the body.

Adduction

Movement of a limb toward the midline of the body.

Extension

The straightening of limbs at a joint, resulting in an increase in angle.

Flexion

The bending of limbs at a joint, resulting in a reduction of angle.

Rotation

A circular movement of a joint around a fixed point.

Crepitus

Sounds occurring during joint movement described as popping, clicking, crunching, or grating.

Osteoporosis

A disease that thins and weakens bones, making them fragile and prone to breaking easily; common in the hip, spine, and wrist.

Open fracture

A type of bone fracture where the broken bone punctures the skin.

Hip fracture

A fracture of the upper femur near the hip joint, frequently caused by falls in older adults with osteoporosis.

Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF)

A surgical procedure used to fix a fracture by making an incision to realign bones and held together with hardware like metal pins, plates, or screws.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

The most common type of arthritis associated with aging and the wear and tear of articular cartilage.

Arthroplasty

The medical term for joint replacement surgery where articular surfaces of bones are replaced with a prosthesis.

Post-operative Hip Flexion Limit

A safety rule after hip replacement to avoid bending the hip greater than $90 ext{ degrees}$.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

An autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks joint tissues, leading to inflammation of the joint capsule and synovial membrane.

Gout

A type of arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid that forms painful, needle-like crystals in the joints, typically first attacking the big toe.

Kyphosis

A curving of the spine causing a bowing or rounding of the back, often referred to as a "buffalo hump."

Lordosis

An inward curve of the lumbar spine just above the buttocks, often called swayback.

Scoliosis

A sideways curve of the spine that commonly develops during growth spurts in late childhood or early teens.

Dislocation

An injury where the ends of bones are forced out of their normal position at a joint.

Clubfoot

A congenital condition present at birth that causes the foot and lower leg to turn inward and downward.

Sprain

A stretched or torn ligament caused by an injury.

Strain

A stretched or torn muscle or tendon, which can occur suddenly or due to chronic overuse.

RICE

A mnemonic for treating sprains and strains: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

Arthroscope

A pencil-thin instrument used during arthroscopic surgery to visualize the interior of a joint cavity.

Contracture

The replacement of normally elastic tissues with inelastic, fiber-like tissue, which prevents normal movement and range of motion.