HOSA Medical Terminology - The Muscular System

bi-

twice, double, two

-cele

hernia, tumor, swelling

dys-

bad, difficult, or painful

fasci/o

fascia, fibrous band

-ia

abnormal condition, disease, plural of -ium

-al, -ior, -ic, -iac, ial, -eal, -ose

pertaining to

kines/o, kinesi/o

movement

my/o

muscle

-plegia

paralysis, stroke

-rrhexis

rupture

tax/o

coordination, order

ten/o, tend/o, tendin/o

tendon, stretch out, extend, strain

ton/o

tone, stretching, tension

tri-

three

abduction (ab-DUCK-shun)

movement away from the midline of the body

adduction (ah-DUCK-shun)

the movement of a limb (arm or leg) toward the midline of the body

adhesion (ad-HEE-zhun)

a band of fibrous tissue that holds structures together abnormally

ataxia (ah-TACK-see-ah)

lack of muscle coordination during voluntary movement

atonic (ah-TON-ick)

lacking normal muscle tone or strength

atrophy (AT-roh-fee)

weakness or wearing away of body tissues and structures caused by pathology or by disuse over a long period of time

bradykinesia (brad-ee-kih-NEE-zee-ah)

slow movement

carpal tunnel syndrome (KAR-pul)

compression of the median nerve as it passes between the ligament and the bones and tendons of the wrist

chronic fatigue syndrome

a disorder of unknown cause that affects many body systems

circumduction (ser-kum-DUCK-shun)

the circular movement at the far end of a limb

contracture (kon-TRACK-chur)

the permanent tightening of fascia, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or skin that occurs when normally elastic connective tissues are replaced with nonelastic fibrous tissues

dorsiflexion (dor-sih-FLECK-shun)

bending of the foot or the toes upward

dyskinesia (dis-kih-NEE-zee-ah)

distortion or impairment of voluntary movement resulting in fragmented or jerky motions

dystonia (dis-TOH-nee-ah)

a condition of abnormal muscle tone that causes the impairment of voluntary muscle movement

electromyography (ee-leck-troh-my-OG-rah-fee)

a diagnostic test that measures the electrical activity within muscle fibers in response to nerve stimulation

epicondylitis (ep-ih-kon-dih-LYE-tis)

inflammation of the tissues surrounding the elbow

ergonomics (er-goh-NOM-icks)

the study of the human factors that affect the design and operation of tools and the work environment

exercise physiologist (fiz-ee-OL-oh-jist)

a specialist who works under the supervision of a physician to develop, implement, and coordinate exercise programs, and administer medical tests to promote physical fitness

fasciitis (fas-ee-EYE-tis)

inflammation of the fascia

firbromyalgia (figh-broh-my-AL-jee-ah)

pain in the muscle fibers

ganglion cyst (GANG-glee-on SIST)

a harmless fluid-filled swelling that occurs most commonly on the outer surface of the wrist

heel spur

a calcium deposit in the plantar fascia nears its attachment to the calcaneus bone that can be one of the causes of plantar fasciitis

hemiparesis (hem-ee-pah-REE-sis)

slight paralysis or weakness affecting one side of the body

hemiplegia (hem-ee-PLEE-jee-ah)

paralysis of one side of the body

hernia (HER-nee-ah)

the protrusion of a part of a structure through the tissues normally containing it

hyperkinesia (high-per-kye-NEE-zee-ah)

aka hyperactivity; abnormally increased muscle function or activity

hypotonia (high-poh-TOH-nee-ah)

a condition in which there is diminished tone of the skeletal muscles

impingement syndrome (im-PINJ-men SIN-drohm)

inflammation of tendons that get caught in the narrow space between the bones within the shoulder joint

insertion

a mutation involving the addition of one or more nucleotide pairs to a gene.

intermittent claudication (klaw-dih-KAY-shun)

pain in the leg muscles that occurs during exercise and is relieved by rest

muscular dystrophy (DIS-troh-fee)

enables movement of the body and internal organs

myasthenia gravis (my-as-THEE-nee-ah GRAH-vis)

a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the neuromuscular junction and produces serious weakness of voluntary muscles

myocele (MY-oh-seel)

the herniation (protrusion) of muscle substance through a tear in the fascia surrounding it

myoclonus (my-oh-KLOH-nus)

the quick, involuntary jerking of a muscle or group of muscles

myofascial release (my-oh-FASH-ee-ahl)

specialized soft tissue manipulation technique to ease pain of fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, movement restrictions, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, and carpal tunnel syndrome (pg. 116)

myolysis (my-OL-ih-sis)

degeneration of muscle tissue

myoparesis

(my-oh-pah-REE-sis)

weakness or slight muscular paralysis

myorrhaphy (my-OR-ah-fee)

the surgical suturing of a muscle wound

neuromuscular (new-roh-MUS-kyou-lar)

pertaining to the relationship between a nerve and muscle

oblique (oh-BLEEK)

at an angle; indirect or evasive

origin

attachment of a muscle that remains relatively fixed during muscular contraction

paralysis (pah-RAL-ih-sis)

the loss of sensation and voluntary muscle movements in a muscle through disease or injury to its nerve supply

paraplegia (pahr-ah-PLEE-jee-ah)

paralysis of both legs and the lower part of the body

physiatrist (fiz-ee-AT-rist)

a physician who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation with the focus on restoring function

plantar fasciitis (PLAN-tar fas-ee -EYE-tis)

an inflammation of the plantar fascia on the sole of the foot

polymyositis (pol-ee-my-oh-SIGH-tis)

a muscle disease characterized by the simultaneous inflammation and weakening of voluntary muscles in many parts of the body

pronation (proh-NAY-shun)

the act of rotating the arm or leg so that the palm of the hand or sole of the foot is turned downward or backward

quadriplegia (kwad-rih-PLEE-jee-ah)

paralysis of all four limbs

sarcopenia (sar-koh-PEE-nee-ah)

the loss of muscle mass, strength, and function that comes with aging

shin splint

a painful condition caused by the muscle tearing away from the tibia

singultus (sing-GUL-tus)

aka hiccups; myoclonus of the diaphragm that causes the characteristic hiccup sound with each spasm

sphincter (SFINK-ter)

ring-like muscle that tightly constricts the opening of a passageway

sprain

injury to a ligament

tenodesis (ten-ODD-eh-sis)

surgical suturing of the end of a tendon to a bone

tenolysis (ten-OL-ih-sis)

the release of a tendon from adhesions

tenorrhaphy (ten-OR-ah-fee)

surgical suturing together of the divided ends of a tendon

tenosynovitis (ten-oh-sin-oh-VYE-tis)

an inflammation of the sheath surrounding a tendon

tenotomy (ten-OT-ah-mee)

a surgical incision into a tendon

torticollis (tor-tih-KOL-is)

aka wryneck; a stiff neck due to spasmodic contraction of the neck muscles that pull the head toward the affected side

Transverse (trans-VERSE)

divides body into upper and lower parts