Musculoskeletal System Medical Terminology

Vocabulary flashcards defined verbatim from musculoskeletal system medical terminology learning materials, including joint movements, symptomatic terms, forms of arthritis, and structural pathologies.

extension

straightening at the joint so that the angle between the bones is increased

abduction

movement away from the body

adduction

movement toward the body

rotation

circular movement around an axis

eversion

turning outward, i.e., of a foot

inversion

turning inward, i.e., of a foot

supination

turning of the palmar surface (palm of the hand) or plantar surface (sole of the foot) upward or forward

pronation

turning of the palmar surface (palm of the hand) or plantar surface (sole of the foot) downward or backward

dorsiflexion

bending of the foot or the toes upward

plantar flexion

bending of the sole of the foot by curling the toes toward the ground

range of motion (ROM)

total motion possible in a joint, described by the terms related to body movements (i.e., ability to flex, extend, abduct, or adduct); measured in degrees

goniometer

instrument used to measure joint angles (gonio = angle)

arthralgia

joint pain

atrophy

shrinking of muscle size

crepitation (crepitus)

grating sound sometimes made by the movement of a joint or broken bones

exostosis

a projection arising from a bone that develops from cartilage

flaccid

flabby, relaxed, or having defective or absent muscle tone

hypertrophy

increase in the size of tissue, such as muscle

hypotonia

reduced muscle tone or tension

myalgia (myodynia)

muscle pain

ostealgia (osteodynia)

bone pain

rigor (rigidity)

stiffness; stiff muscle

spasm

drawing in; involuntary contraction of muscle

spastic

uncontrolled contractions of skeletal muscles, causing stiff and awkward movements (resembles spasm)

tetany

tension; prolonged, continuous muscle contraction

tremor

shaking; rhythmic muscular movement

ankylosis

stiff joint condition

arthritis

inflammation of the joints characterized by pain, swelling, redness, warmth, and limitation of motion; there are more than 100 different types of arthritis

osteoarthritis (OA)

most common form of arthritis, especially affecting the weight-bearing joints (e.g., knee or hip), characterized by the erosion of articular cartilage; also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease (DJD)

rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

most crippling form of arthritis; characterized by chronic, systemic inflammation, most often affecting joints and synovial membranes (especially in the hands and feet) and causing ankylosis and deformity

gouty arthritis

acute attacks of arthritis, usually in a single joint (especially the great toe), caused by hyperuricemia (an excessive level of uric acid in the blood)

bony necrosis

bone tissue that has died from loss of blood supply, such as can occur after a fracture (sequestrum = something laid aside)

bunion

swelling of the joint at the base of the great toe caused by inflammation of the bursa

bursitis

inflammation of a bursa

chondromalacia

softening of cartilage

epiphysitis

inflammation of the epiphyseal regions of the long bone