The Musculoskeletal System

achondroplasia

a defect in the formation of cartilage

analgesic

a drug that relieves pain

ankylosing spondylitis

a stiffening inflammation of the vertebrae

ankylosis

joint stiffness

antiarthritic

a drug that opposes joint inflammation

anti-inflammatory

a drug that opposes inflammation

antipyretic

a drug that opposes fever

arthrodysplasia

abnormal joint development

arthralgia

joint pain

arthritis

joint inflammation

arthrocele

hernia of a joint

arthrocentesis

puncture of a joint

arthroclasia

the therapeutic breaking of a joint to allow for increased mobility

arthrodesis

the surgical fixation of a joint

arthrodynia

joint pain

arthrectomy

removal of a joint

arthrogram

visual record of a joint

arthrography

procedure used to examine a joint

arthrolysis

loosening a stiff joint

arthropathy

joint disease

arthroplasty

reconstruction of a joint

arthrosclerosis

hardening of the joints

arthroscope

instrument for looking into a joint

arthroscopy

procedure of looking into a joint

arthrotomy

incision into a joint

atrophy

underdevelopment, decrease, or loss of muscle tissue

bradykinesia

slow movement

bursectomy

removal of a bursa

bursitis

inflammation of the bursa

bursolith

a stone in a bursa

bursopathy

disease of the bursa

bursotomy

incision into a bursa

caprectomy

removal of all or part of the wrist

carpitis

wrist inflammation

cervicodynia

neck pain

chondrectomy

removal of cartilage

chondroma

a tumorlike growth of cartilage tissue

chondromalacia

abnormal softening of the cartilage

chondro-osteodystrophy

poor development of bones and cartilage

chondroplasty

reconstruction of cartilage

closed reduction

returning bones to their proper position without the use of surgery

computed axial tomography (CAT) (CT)

imaging procedure using a computer to procedure cross sections along an axis

costalgia

rib pain

costectomy

removal of a rib

costochondritis

inflammation of the cartilage of the rib

craniectomy

removal of a portion of the skull (bone is not replaced)

craniomalacia

softening of the skull

craniosynostosis

the premature fusing of the skull bones

craniotomy

removal of a portion of the skull (bone is later replaced)

crepitation

a crackling sound heard in joints

dactylitis

finger inflammation

dyskinesia

inability to control movement

dystaxia

poor coordination

dystonia

poor muscle tone

effusion

fluid buildup in joints

electromyogram

record of the electrical activity of a muscle

electromyography

procedure for measuring the electrical activity of a muscle

exostosis

an abnormal growth of bone out of another bone

external fixation

a fixation of a fractured bone from the outside (cast or splint)

fasciectomy

removal of fascia

fasciitis

inflammation of the fascia

fasciodesis

binding of fascia

fascioplasty

reconstruction of fascia

fasciorrhaphy

suturing of fascia

fasciotomy

incision into fascia

fracture

a bone break

genu valgum

knock-kneed

genu varum

bowlegged

graphospasm

writer’s cramp

hemarthrosis

blood in a joint

hyperkinesia

increase in muscle movement or activity

hypertonia

increased muscle tone or tightness

hypertrophic spondylitis

overdevelopment of the vertebrae causing inflammation

hypertrophy

overdevelopment of muscle tissue

hypokinesia

decrease in muscle movement or activity

hypotonia

decrease in muscle tone or tightness

internal fixation

the fixation of a fractured bone from the inside (screws, pins, plates)

kyphosis

humped back - abnormal forward curvature of the upper spine

lordosis

sway back - abnormal forward curvature of the lower spine

metacarpectomy

removal of a bone of the hand

metatarsalgia

pain in the bones of the foot

muscular dystrophy

disorder characterized by poor muscle development

myalgia

muscle pain

myasthenia

muscle weakness

myectomy

removal of muscle

myocele

hernia of muscle tissue

myoclonus

violent muscle contraction

myodesis

binding of muscle

myodynia

muscle pain

myofasciitis

inflammation of the muscle and fascia

myography

procedure for studying muscles

myolysis

loss of muscle tissue

myoma

a muscle tumor

myomalacia

softening of a muscle

myomectomy

removal of a muscle tumor

myopathy

muscle disease

myoplasty

muscle reconstruction

myorrhaphy

muscle suture

myosarcoma

a cancerous muscle tumor

myosclerosis

hardening of a muscle