MBLEX defs:U6: Joints Part 1

Avulsion fracture

A type of bone fracture where a fragment of bone tears away from the main mass of bone as a result of physical trauma (e.g., when a ligament is traumatized in a fall or pull or when a tendon places undue stress on a bone because the muscular contraction is stronger than the forces holding the bone together).

Bursitis

Inflammation of a bursa, the tiny fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body. It is most often caused by overuse or trauma that produce swelling, redness, and heat in the associated region.

Chondromalacia

A condition where the underside of the patella becomes inflamed and the patellar articular cartilage becomes softened. Because it entails cartilage damage, it is different from patellofemoral pain syndrome. Also called "runner's knee."

Chondrosarcoma

A malignant tumor that forms in cartilage cells (chondroblasts) and that produces cartilage matrix. It most often affects middle-aged adults.

Complete fracture

A type of bone fracture that completely breaks the bone.

Fracture

A complete or incomplete break in a bone resulting from the application of excessive force. Common fracture types include simple, compound, incomplete, complete, stress, and avulsion.

Ewing sarcoma

A malignant tumor that arises in a primitive nerve cell within bone or soft tissue. It usually affects children and adolescents, and appears in the large bones of the arms and legs and the flat bones of the pelvis, spine, and ribs.

Dislocation

A traumatic injury to a joint in which the articulating bones are forcefully separated.

Compression fracture

A type of bone fracture caused by the compression of one bone, especially a vertebra, against another.

Compound fracture

A type of bone fracture, often called an open fracture, where the break is obvious as the skin has been ruptured exposing the bone and additional soft tissue injury.

Gout

A form of acute arthritis that commonly affects the big toe, but may also affect the heel, ankle, hand, wrist, or elbow. It is caused by deposits of sodium urate (uric acid) in and around the joints, especially in the feet.

Hyperkyphosis

An exaggerated outward curvature of the thoracic spine resulting in a rounded upper back.

Hyperlordosis

An exaggerated inward curvature of the lumbar spine resulting in a swayback.

Hyperparathyroidism

A condition where too much parathyroid hormone results in abnormally high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcaemia) causing bone resorption and osteoporosis, calcium deposits in the kidneys, muscular weakness, bone pain, and the potential for bone fracture, among others.

Incomplete fracture

A type of bone fracture that does not completely break the bone but only partially breaks the bone.

Osteosarcoma

A type of bone cancer, most often seen in adolescents and young adults, where a sarcoma (malignant tumor) derived from bone, or containing bone, is formed.

Osteoporosis

A bone disorder resulting in a loss of bone mass and density, and caused by endocrine imbalances and poor metabolism of calcium.

Osteonecrosis

A bone disorder, most often occurring at the head of the femur, where the blood supply to an area of bone is disrupted and the bone tissue dies. A physician's release is required before providing massage.

Osteomyelitis

Inflammation of the bone and/or bone marrow due to infection (e.g., bacteria salmonella or staphylococcus), or as a complication of surgery or injury.

Osteoarthritis

Also called degenerative joint disease. A form of arthritis characterized by inflammation brought about by wear-and-tear cumulative damage to articular cartilage causing stiff, inflamed, and painful joints. It often affects weight-bearing joints.

Paget's disease

A chronic bone disease where healthy bone is rapidly reabsorbed and replaced with fibrous connective tissue that never fully calcifies.

Perthes disease

A hip disorder in children (most often boys) caused by the interruption of the blood supply to the head of the femur, causing it to deteriorate.

Postural deviation

A condition where one of the natural curves of the spine is overdeveloped causing decreased strength, flexibility, and resiliency. Includes hyperkyphosis (humpback), hyperlordosis (swayback), and scoliosis (S-curve).

Hyperkyphosis

A postural deviation commonly referred to as humpback.

Hyperlordosis

A postural deviation commonly referred to as swayback.

Rheumatoid arthritis

An autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks synovial membranes, causing joints to be inflamed, swollen, hot, and painful. It commonly affects the hands and feet, but may also affect other joints, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, and serous membranes.

Scoliosis

A lateral S-curve shape to the spine.

Vertebral subluxation

When a vertebral bone is partially dislocated or out of alignment in relation to the vertebral bone above it or below it.

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)

Also called temporomandibular joint syndrome, this is a disorder of the jaw caused by a poorly aligned bite (malocclusion), teeth grinding (bruxism), or ligament laxity, allowing excessive movement between the bones that leads to internal cartilage damage. Symptoms include pain with chewing, clicking and popping of the joint, swelling, nerve inflammation, headaches, and sometimes dislocation of the joint.

Malocclusion

A poorly aligned bite.

Bruxism

Teeth grinding.

Stress fracture

A type of bone fracture, also called a hairline fracture, which is caused by repeated stress over time. It is a common overuse injury in athletes.

Sprain

An abnormal stretching or tearing of a ligament that supports a joint, involving between a few ligament fibers to a complete rupture. Common sprains occur with the anterior talofibular ligament in the ankle, and with the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments inside the knee joint capsule.

Simple fracture

A type of bone fracture, also called a closed fracture, where the break is not obvious as the skin has not been ruptured and remains intact.