Chapter 3 terms

Abdominal muscles

a set of strong bands of muscles lining the walls of your abdomen (trunk of your body).

Abduction

the motion of a limb or appendage away from the midline of the body.

Adduction

when you move a limb/body part towards the center of the body.

Adhesion

a band of scar tissue that joins two internal body surfaces that are not usually connected

Agonist

a substance that mimics the actions of a neurotransmitter or hormone to produce a response when it binds to a specific receptor in the brain.

Analgesic

medications that relieve different types of pain

Antagonist

A substance that acts against and blocks an action.

Anti-inflammatory

the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation or swelling.

Antispasmodic

any drug that relieves or prevents spasms, especially of smooth muscle.

Ataxia

without coordination.

Atrophy

A decrease in size of an organ or tissue; wasting.

Automaticity

the property of cardiac cells to generate spontaneous action potentials

Biceps-brachii

a large, thick muscle on the ventral portion of the upper arm.

Biceps-femoris

a muscle of the posterior compartment of the thigh, and lies in the posterolateral aspect

Biopsy

a procedure that removes cells or tissue from your body.

Cardiac muscle

makes up the thick middle layer of the heart.

carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)

a common neurological disorder that occurs when the median nerve, which runs from your forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist.

certified fitness trainer (CFT)

A person who specializes in helping someone with their fitness

circumduction

the orderly combination of shoulder movements so that the hand traces a circle and the arm traces a cone

computerized tomography (CT)

a noninvasive medical examination or procedure that uses specialized X-ray equipment to produce cross-sectional images of the body.

contractility

the relative ability of the heart to eject a stroke volume (SV) at a given prevailing afterload (arterial pressure) and preload (end-diastolic volume; EDV).

contracture

a fixed tightening of muscle, tendons, ligaments, or skin.

deep tendon reflexes (DTR)

sometimes called the stretch reflex or myotatic reflex because of the stretch action and the muscle response involved.

deltoid

a large triangular muscle that covers the shoulder joint and serves to raise the arm laterally.

depression

is defined as the loss of steady-state isometric force, which occurs after shortening of an activated muscle or muscle fiber

dorsiflexion

the action of raising the foot upwards towards the shin.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy

(DMD)

one of the most severe forms of inherited muscular dystrophies.

dystaxia

lack of muscular coordination resulting in shaky limb movements and unsteady gait.

elasticity

ability of a deformed material body to return to its original shape and size when the forces causing the deformation are removed.

electromyogram (EMG)

measures muscle response or electrical activity in response to a nerve's stimulation of the muscle.

elevation

A raised area that protrudes above the surrounding area.

endomysium

a wispy layer of areolar connective tissue that ensheaths each individual muscle fiber, or muscle cell.

epimysium

the dense connective tissue that surrounds the entire muscle tissue.

eversion

a type of movement at the ankle joint that involves turning outward the sole of the foot away from the body's midline

excitability

a property of a cell, allowing it to respond to stimulation by rapid changes in membrane potential produced by ion fluxes across the plasma membrane.

exercise physiologist

analyze a client's medical history to determine the best exercise and fitness regimen

extensibility

the ability of a muscle to be stretched or extended.

extension

a movement that increases the angle between two body parts.

fascia

a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place.

fasciitis

an inflammation of the fascia

flaccidity

A type of paralysis in which a muscle becomes soft and yields to passive stretching

flexion

bending an arm or leg

frontalis

the muscle of the forehead that forms part of the occipitofrontalis.

gastrocnemius

a complex muscle that is fundamental for walking and posture.

gluteus maximus

the most superficial and largest of the three muscles and makes up the bulk of the shape and form of the buttock and hip area.

gluteus medius

the middle of the three muscles in each buttock that arises from the outer surface of the ilium

goniometry

The art and science of measuring the joint ranges in each plane of the joint

hemiparesis

weakness or the inability to move on one side of the body, making it hard to perform everyday activities like eating or dressing.

hemiplegia

one-sided muscle paralysis or weakness.

hyperextension

excessive movement of a joint in one direction (straightening).

hypertrophy

An increase in the size of an organ, structure, or the body due to growth rather than tumor formation.

hypotonia

decreased muscle tone.

impingement syndrome

a condition in which the tendons of the rotator cuff of the shoulder are pinched as they pass between the top of the upper arm (humerus) and the tip of the shoulder (acromion).

insertion

The movable attachment of the distal end of a muscle, which produces changes in shape or skeletal movement when the muscle contracts.

inversion

the movement of sole towards the median plane.

involuntary muscles

the muscles that contract or move without conscious control.

latissimus dorsi

a broad, flat muscle occupying most of the lower posterior thorax.

leiomyoma

benign tumors of monoclonal origin which arise from the smooth muscle of the uterus

leiomyosarcoma

a type of rare cancer that grows in the smooth muscles.

ligament

a fibrous connective tissue that attaches bone to bone

magnetic resonance imaging

(MRI)

a noninvasive medical imaging test that produces detailed images of almost every internal structure in the human body, including the organs, bones, muscles and blood vessels

muscle

a body tissue consisting of long cells that contract when stimulated and produce motion.

muscle fibers

consist of a single muscle cell

muscular dystrophy (MD)

a group of genetic diseases that cause progressive weakness and degeneration of skeletal muscles.

muscular system

composed of specialized cells called muscle fibers.

myalgia

muscle aches and pain

myasthenia gravis

a chronic autoimmune, neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles

myocele

A muscle is surrounded by a tough layer of connective tissue called the fascia.

myolysis

destruction or disintegration of muscle tissue.

myoma

smooth, non-cancerous tumors that may develop in or around the uterus

myomalacia

Softening of muscular tissue.

myoparesis

Weakness or incomplete paralysis of a muscle.

myoplasty

the plastic surgery of muscle, in which part of a muscle is partly detached and used to repair tissue defects or deformities in the vicinity of the muscle.

myorrhexis

the rupture or tearing of a muscle.

myositis

an inflammation or swelling of the muscles

narcotic

a drug (such as opium or morphine) that in moderate doses dulls the senses, relieves pain

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory

drugs (NSAIDs)

medicines that are widely used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and bring down a high temperature

nuclear medicine imaging (NMI)

a method of producing images by detecting radiation from different parts of the body after a radioactive tracer is given to the patient.

origin

the point at which something begins or rises or from which it derives.

paraplegia

the inability to voluntarily move the lower parts of the body.

paresthesia

a burning or prickling sensation that is usually felt in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, but can also occur in other parts of the body.

pectoralis major

the superior most and largest muscle of the anterior chest wall.

perimysium

a continuous layer of collagenous connective tissue that separates the skeletal muscle tissue into muscle fascicles

physical therapy

a medical treatment used to restore functional movements, such as standing, walking, and moving different body parts.

plantar fasciitis

an inflammation of the fibrous tissue (plantar fascia) along the bottom of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes.

plantar flexion

the extension of the ankle so that the foot points down and away from the leg.

pronation

a rotational movement of the forearm that results in the palm facing posteriorly

quadriplegia

a form of paralysis that affects all four limbs, plus the torso

radiography

the art and science of using radiation to provide images of the tissues, organs, bones, and vessels that comprise the human body.

range-of-motion (ROM) testing

the extent or limit to which a part of the body can be moved around a joint or a fixed point

range-of-motion (ROM) therapy

therapy for extending muscles

rectus femoris

a long, fleshy muscle located in the anterior compartment of the thigh.

Rest Ice Compression Elevation

(RICE)

four elements of a treatment regimen that was once recommended for soft tissue injuries: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

rhabdomyoma

a noncancerous (benign) tumor that typically grows in clusters in the heart

rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS)

a rare type of cancer that forms in soft tissue — specifically skeletal muscle tissue or sometimes hollow organs such as the bladder or uterus.

rigor

Severe chills with violent shivering.

rotation

the time medical students spend as members of a medical team so they can learn what is involved with each medical specialty.

sarcopenia

a syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength

sartorius

the longest muscle in the body, spanning both the hip and the knee joints.

shin splint

medial tibial stress syndrome, in which pain occurs along the tibia.