Orthopedics Terminology

Acetabular

Relating to the cup-shaped socket of the hip joint.

Anterior Drawer Test

An exam used to test the stability of the knee's anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Anterior-Posterior (AP)

Refers to the direction of the X-ray beam travel during taking of radiographs. Here, the X-ray passes first through the anterior anatomy and exits posteriorly.

Arthroplasty

A surgical procedure to restore the function of a joint

Arthroscopy

A surgical procedure for diagnosis and treating joint problems

Aspiration

A procedure to remove fluid from the space around a joint

Bursa

Small fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction between moving parts in your body's joints.

Bursitis

A painful condition that affects bursae that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near your joints.

Carpus

The bones between the hand and the lower part of the arm that form the wrist.

Cemented

A cemented joint prosthesis uses fast-drying bone cement to help affix it to the bone.

Cementless

A cementless joint prosthesis, sometimes called a press-fit prosthesis, is specially textured to allow the bone to grow onto it and adhere to it over time.

Chip Fracture

A small piece of bone is broken away from the main bone and usually attached to a ligament or tendon.

Condyle

An articular prominence of a bone

Crepitus

Grating, crackling or popping sounds and sensations experienced under skin and joints.

Cup-Cage (CC) Construct

A surgical technique developed to address acetabular defects during revision hip arthroplasty.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

A condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the lower legs

Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)

Also known as osteoarthritis, this is a common wear and tear disease of the joints.

Distal

Situated away from the point of attachment or origin (such as fingers being distal to your shoulders).

Dorsal

Situated near, on or toward the upper surface (such as the top of the hand).

Effusion

An abnormal collection of fluid in hollow spaces or between tissues of the body.

Enchondroma

A type of benign tumor that begins in the cartilage found inside the bones.

Epicondyle

Any of the several prominences on the distal part of a long bone serving for the attachment of muscles and ligaments

Extrarticular

Situated outside of a joint.

Femoral Neck

The most common location for a hip fracture. The thigh bone is the femur, and at the top of the femur is the femoral head. The femoral neck is just below the femoral head.

Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome

Occurs when a tendon called the iliotibial band gets irritated or swollen from rubbing against your hip or knee bones. The tendon is on the outside of the leg, and it goes from the top of your pelvic bone down to your knee.

Incision & Debridement (I&D)

A procedure used to fight bone or joint infection, which involves thoroughly cleaning the wound and removing all infected and nonviable tissue.

Index Procedure

Any surgical procedure requiring general anesthesia

Inferolateral

Relating to the inferior (below or toward the feet) and lateral (away from the middle of the body) aspects.

Intramedullary Nail

Also known as an intramedullary rod, interlocking nail or Kuntscher nail, it is a metal rod forced into the medullary cavity of a bone and is used to treat fractures of long bones of the body.

Intertrochanteric

Between the trochanters, which are bony protrusions on the femur.

Joint Space Narrowing

Occurs when the cartilage no longer keeps the bones a normal distance apart.

Kyphoplasty

A surgical procedure that expands and stabilizes compression fractures of the spine

Leg Raise Test

A maneuver during examination of lower back pain, where it aims to assess for lumbosacral nerve root irritation.

Logroll Test

The most specific test for hip pathology. With the patient supine, the provider gently rolling the thigh internally and externally moves the articular surface of the femoral head in relation to the acetabulum, but does not stress any of the surrounding extra-articular structures.

McMurray's Test

A test used to detect internal tears in the knee joint by systematically rotating the knee.

Medial

Situated toward the midline of the body (such as the inner thigh).

Meniscus

A C-shaped piece of soft and fibrous cartilage that provides shock absorption and cushion to knees.

Metaphysis

The trumpet-shaped end of long bones and the zone of growth between the epiphysis and diaphysis during development of a bone.

Olecranon

The large process on the upper end of the ulna that projects behind the elbow joint and forms the point of the elbow.

Osteoarthritis

The most common form of arthritis. Also known as degenerative joint disease.

Osteophyte

An abnormal bony outgrowth or projection. Also known as a bone spur.

Patellar

Relating to the patella, which is a thick flat triangular movable bone that forms the anterior point of the knee and protects the front of the joint.

Pedal Pulses

An arterial pulse which can be felt on top of the foot in front of the ankle.

Periprosthetic

A structure around surgical implants. For example, a periprosthetic hip fracture is a broken bone that occurs around the implants of a total hip replacement.

Peritrochanteric

Around the trochanters, which are bony protrusions on the femur.

Phlebitis

Inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs.

Posterior Drawer Test

A common test to assess for posterior cruciate ligament tears.

Pressure Sore

Damage to an area of the skin caused by constant pressure to the area for a long time.

Pronation

Rotation of the hand and forearm so that the palm faces backwards or downwards.

Prophylaxis

Measures designed to preserve health and prevent the spread of disease. For example, prescribing antibiotics prior to a surgery even though the patient isn't sick, just to prevent any possible infections.

Radial Head

The bulbous end of the radius where it meets the elbow.

Radiculopathy

A range of symptoms produced by the pinching of a nerve root in the spinal column

Radius

One of the two bones that make up the forearm and is on the outer (lateral) aspect.

Sacroiliac (SI) Joint

The joint connection between the spine and the pelvis.

Sclerosis

Pathological hardening of tissue, especially from overgrowht of fibrous tissue or increase in interstitial tissue.

Serous

Relating to serum, the clear liquid part of the blood

Stinchfield Test

A test that distinguishes between intra-articular and extra-articular hip pathology causing groin, thigh, buttock and pretibial leg pain by assesing the pain response caused by an increase in hip joint reactive force

Stryker Accolade/Trident Hip Replacement System

A type of hip replacement system that applies a titanium metal coating to the acetabular shell's outer surface.

Subchondral

Situated beneath cartilage in a joint.

Supination

Rotation of the forearm and hand so that the palm faces forward or upward.

Synovial Fluid

Also known as joint fluid, it is a thick liquid located between joints and serves to cushion the ends of bones and reduces friction when you move your joints.

Trochanteric

Part of the thigh bone to which muscles are attached.

Ulna

One of the two bones that make up the forearm and is on the inner (medial) aspect.

Vacutainer

A blood collection tube with a vacuum to facilitate blood collection.

Valgus

A deformity involving oblique displacement of part of a limb away from the midline

Varicose Veins

Twisted, enlarged veins close to the skin's surface

Varus

A deformity in which an anatomical part is turned inward toward the midline of the body to an abnormal degree

Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Score

A validated, subjective measures for acute and chronic pain.

Viscosupplementation

A minimally invasive technique that involves the replacement of synovial fluid by intra-articular injection by hyaluronic acid, which restores its concentration and molecular weight in joint cavity.

Tendinitis

Inflammation or irritation of a tendon

Dry Needling

Also known as trigger point dry needling and intramuscular stimulation, it is a pseudoscientific technique that treats the muscle tissue with the goal to reduce pain, inactivate trigger points and restore function

Dorsiflexion

The backward bending and contracting of your hand or foot

Malleolus

The largest of the 3 bone segments that form your ankle. It is the bump that protrudes on either side of your ankles.

Plantar Flexion