Mentor High School Sports Medicine: Introduction to Health, Wellness, and Physical Fitness

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the concepts of health, wellness, physical fitness, disease prevention, and exercise physiology from Mentor High School Sports Medicine.

Health

A state of being associated with freedom from illness and disease.

Wellness

The positive, multidimensional component of health that encompasses quality of life, a sense of well-being, and the integration of components that expand one's potential to live, work effectively, and contribute to society.

The Six Dimensions of Wellness

A holistic model developed in 1976 by Dr. Bill Hettler, co-founder of the National Wellness Institute, integrating physical, social, occupational, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional wellness.

Physical Wellness

The dimension of wellness that focuses on maintaining a healthy body through regular exercise, good nutrition, adequate sleep, and avoiding harmful substances.

Social Wellness

The dimension of wellness that emphasizes creating meaningful relationships, strong support systems, and engaging in authentic two-way, face-to-face communication.

Occupational Wellness

The dimension of wellness centered on gaining personal satisfaction, fulfillment, and enrichment through one's employment, academic pursuit, or daily occupation.

Intellectual Wellness

The dimension of wellness that involves engaging in continuous learning, problem-solving, creative endeavors, and challenging mental activities.

Spiritual Wellness

The dimension of wellness oriented toward discovering meaning, purpose, morals, and a set of guiding values in human existence.

Emotional Wellness

The dimension of wellness that involves identifying, accepting, and expressing feelings appropriately, managing stress effectively, and cultivating positive self-esteem.

Global Impact of Chronic Disease

The staggering economic and human burden of chronic illnesses, costing the United States over >$3\text{ trillion} annually and projected to cause roughly $47\text{ trillion}$ in global economic loss by the year 2030.

Sedentary Lifestyle

A way of living involving little to no routine physical activity or exercise, currently characterizing roughly 3 in 4 adults and more than $80\%$ of adolescents.

Socioeconomic Status

The social standing of a person or group based on education, income, and occupation, which often functions as an uncontrollable determinant of health.

World Health Organization (WHO)

An international public health agency dedicated to promoting global public health and wellness initiatives to reduce morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Morbidity

The state or condition of having a specific disease or medical condition.

Mortality

The state or risk of death or dying within a given population.

Disease

Any abnormal condition that negatively impairs the normal structure or physiological function of part or all of the body.

Medical Model

A traditional, symptom-oriented 'sick care' paradigm characterized by 'we get sick, we get care,' a passive victim mentality, and the pursuit of a 'magic pill' or 'heroic medicine' solely to treat problems after they arise.

Wellness Model

A proactive 'health care' paradigm centered on 'we take care of our health,' active engagement, education, and lifestyle modifications to optimize lifelong physical, mental, and social well-being.

Acute Diseases

Medical conditions that develop rapidly, have a sudden onset, and can typically be cured or treated within a short timeframe.

Chronic Diseases

Also called noncommunicable diseases (NCDs); conditions of long duration arising from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioral factors.

Leading Preventable Causes of Death

The two primary lifestyle-related factors responsible for the highest numbers of premature deaths in modern society: tobacco smoking and being overweight or obese.

The Healthcare Continuum

The complete network of healthcare facilities and practitioners, encompassing hospitals, ambulatory care centers, therapists, ancillary facilities, behavioral health specialties, alternative medicine, long-term care, and health/fitness specialties.

Hypokinetic Conditions

Diseases, illnesses, or health dysfunctions directly caused or accelerated by insufficient physical movement ('hypo' = under/lack of; 'kinetic' = movement).

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

A comprehensive classification encompassing all diseases affecting the heart and the circulatory blood vessels.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

A condition characterized by damage to or disease of the heart muscle and its supplying coronary arteries; recognized as the number 1 cause of death in the United States ($34\%$ of all deaths).

Stroke

Also known as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA); a life-threatening event wherein brain tissue is deprived of essential oxygen due to interrupted cerebral blood flow, standing as the third leading cause of death.

Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD)

A circulatory disorder characterized by decreased blood flow and oxygen supply to the working muscles and tissues of the arms and legs.

Angina Pectoris

Chest discomfort or pain resulting from ischemia (inadequate oxygenated blood supply to the heart muscle), often experienced as tight squeezing or pressure.

Congestive Heart Failure

A chronic, progressive cardiovascular condition in which the heart muscle is too weak or stiff to pump blood at a life-sustaining rate.

Hypertension

Chronically elevated resting blood pressure, placing excessive mechanical stress on arterial walls and substantially increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Coronary Occlusion

The narrowing, obstruction, or total blockage of a coronary artery by an atherosclerotic plaque buildup or blood clot, which can trigger a myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Collateral Circulation

The development and enlargement of auxiliary, branching blood vessels within heart tissue, stimulated by physical activity to maintain myocardial blood supply if primary arteries become blocked.

Lipids

A broad family of water-insoluble organic compounds, including fats, oils, phospholipids, and cholesterol, that provide energy storage, cellular structure, and hormone synthesis.

Lipoproteins

Specialized macromolecular complexes made of lipids and proteins that package and transport fats through the water-based bloodstream.

High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

'Good' cholesterol; a protective lipoprotein that picks up excess cholesterol from peripheral arteries and returns it to the liver for excretion.

Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)

'Bad' cholesterol; a lipoprotein responsible for transporting cholesterol to peripheral tissues, which contributes to plaque accumulation in arterial walls when elevated.

Atherosclerosis

A progressive vascular condition characterized by fatty deposits, plaque, and fibrin building up on the inner walls of arteries, narrowing lumen diameter and impeding blood flow.

Arteriosclerosis

The chronic thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls.

Triglycerides

A predominant form of fat circulating in the bloodstream; normal fasting levels are $<150\,\text{mg/dL}$, whereas levels above $>200\,\text{mg/dL}$ significantly increase cardiovascular risk.

Metabolic Syndrome

Also called 'Syndrome X'; a diagnostic cluster requiring at least 3 of 5 criteria: blood pressure above $130/85\,\text{mm\,Hg}$, fasting blood glucose $\ge 110\,\text{mg/dL}$, triglycerides $\ge 150\,\text{mg/dL}$, low HDL ($<40\,\text{mg/dL}$ for men, $<50\,\text{mg/dL}$ for women), and high abdominal circumference ($\ge 40\,\text{in}$ for men, $\ge 35\,\text{in}$ for women).

Systolic Blood Pressure

The upper number in a blood pressure reading ('working blood pressure') that measures the peak arterial pressure immediately following ventricular contraction.

Diastolic Blood Pressure

The lower number in a blood pressure reading ('resting blood pressure') that reflects the baseline arterial pressure immediately preceding the next ventricular contraction.

Cancer

The second leading cause of death, characterized by abnormal, uncontrolled cell division and growth that invades surrounding tissue.

Malignant Tumors

Cancerous growths (carcinomas) composed of abnormal cells capable of invading neighboring structures and metastasizing through the bloodstream.

Benign Tumors

Non-cancerous growths of abnormal tissue that remain localized and do not spread into distant regions of the body.

Transit Time

The time it takes for food residues to pass through the gastrointestinal tract; regular physical activity accelerates this transit time, reducing the risk of colorectal cancer.

Back Problems

A widespread musculoskeletal hypokinetic condition experienced by $80\%$ of the population at some point in life; the 3rd most common reason for emergency room visits, primarily rooted in poor flexibility, weak core musculature, and mechanical strain.

Obesity

An excessive accumulation of body fat affecting $35\%$ of U.S. adults and $18\%$ of children, which substantially increases the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular complications.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

A hereditary, juvenile-onset metabolic disease characterized by an autoimmune failure of the pancreas to secrete insulin, rendering the individual insulin-dependent.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

A metabolic disease characterized by insulin resistance and reduced cellular sensitivity to insulin, frequently precipitated by physical inactivity and obesity.

Osteoporosis

A condition characterized by a progressive loss of bone mineral density, occurring predominantly in older individuals and especially post-menopausal women due to estrogen depletion.

Wolff's Law

The anatomical principle establishing that bone remodels, adapts, and increases in density along the lines of mechanical stress placed upon it by weight-bearing exercise.

Acquired Aging

Premature biological decline, frailty, and chronic morbidity caused by poor lifestyle habits and physical inactivity, distinct from unavoidable time-dependent aging.

Hyperkinetic Conditions

Disorders, injuries, or health conditions induced by excessive physical training or overtraining, such as overuse injuries to bones and connective tissues, body neurosis, and anorexia nervosa.

Exercise is Medicine (EIM)

A clinical initiative established by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) urging physicians to evaluate, record, and prescribe physical activity at every patient visit.

Physical Fitness

The multi-dimensional capacity of the body to function efficiently and effectively, resist hypokinetic diseases, handle emergency demands, and engage fully in enjoyable leisure pursuits.

Functional Fitness

The capacity to execute activities of daily living (ADLs)—including occupational duties, household chores, or school requirements—without experiencing excessive fatigue.

Metabolic Fitness

A non-performance, physiological state at the cellular level characterized by healthy blood pressure, balanced lipid profiles, and normal insulin sensitivity.

Bone Integrity

A non-performance component of physical fitness representing healthy bone mineral density and the absence of structural skeletal deterioration.

Health-Related Physical Fitness

The five core physiological fitness dimensions directly tied to chronic disease prevention and optimal wellness: cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition.

Cardiovascular Endurance

The capacity of the respiratory and circulatory systems to supply nutrients and oxygen to working skeletal muscles, and the muscles' ability to utilize fuel during prolonged exercise.

Muscular Endurance

The ability of skeletal muscles to perform repeated contractions or sustain force production over an extended period without succumbing to fatigue.

Muscular Strength

The maximum external force that a muscle or muscle group can exert in a single maximal effort.

Flexibility

The range of motion (ROM) accessible across a specific joint or series of joints, influenced by joint architecture, muscle length, and connective tissue elasticity.

Body Composition

The relative proportions of fat tissue compared to lean tissue (muscle, bone, water, and organs) that make up the human body.

Skill-Related Physical Fitness

The athletic performance components governing motor skill execution: agility, balance, coordination, speed, power, and reaction time.

Agility

The skill-related ability to rapidly, efficiently, and accurately change the direction and spatial orientation of the entire body while under control.

Balance

The skill-related ability to sustain physiological equilibrium whether remaining completely stationary or actively moving.

Coordination

The skill-related ability to integrate sensory feedback with specific body segments to perform smooth, harmonized motor movements.

Speed

The skill-related ability to execute a motor movement or travel across a given distance within an exceptionally short interval of time.

Power

The rate at which mechanical work is performed, combining muscular strength and rapid movement speed: $\text{Power} = \frac{\text{work}}{\text{time}}$.

Reaction Time

The time delay between the initial presentation of a stimulus and the body's commencement of a voluntary motor response to that stimulus.