Glossary
A
Abduction
Motion in a joint which moves the body part away from the body midline.
Adduction
Motion in a joint which moves the body part towards the body midline.
ACJ (Acromioclavicular joint)
Corner joint between collarbone (clavicle) and bony shoulder roof (acromion).
Analgesics
Medical term for pain killers.
Ankylosis
Medical term for spontaneous join fusion.
Anterior
Medical term for ‘the front side’ or ‘towards the front’.
Arthritis
Joint degeneration.
Arthrodesis
Surgical joint fusion.
Arthrography
Radiological procedure to image joints using contrast injected into the joint.
Arthroscope
A special camera that allows to perform minimal invasive joint procedures.
Arthroscopy (Keyhole surgery)
A surgical technique that uses a camera (arthroscope) and other small instruments to perform minimal invasive joint procedures.
Aseptic
Sterile, non infected.
B
Bankart lesion
Eponymous name for the structural damage that can occur in shoulder dislocations, usually being the torn labrum.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Relationship between body weight and height (kg/m2).
Bone
Anatomical structure which in combination forms the skeleton.
Bone Scan
Technique using radioactive marker injected to generate imaging studies showing areas of increased metabolic activity.
Bouchard’s nodes
Hard bony or gelatinous nodes at the middle joints of the fingers and toes (PIPJ).
C
Capsule (joint)
Enclosure of a joint.
Carpus
Medical term for the wrist.
Cartilage
Articulating surface inside joints, endocarp of bones.
Capitate
One of the eight wrist bones.
Caudal
Medical term for direction towards the feet.
Cervical
Medical term for neck.
Chronic Polyarthritis
Degeneration and inflammation of multiple joints (i. e. Rheumatoid Arthritis).
Clot
Accumulation of coagulated blood leading to occlusion of vessels.
Computer Tomography (CT scan)
Imaging technique to generate cross sectional and 3D images.
Cortisone
Medical drug with strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Cranial
Medical term for direction towards the head.
D
Degeneration
Generic term for structural and functional changes.
Desanguination
Draining blood from a limb back into the body before applying tourniquet.
DIPJ (Distal Interphalangeal Joint)
End joint of fingers and toes.
Distal
Medical term for direction away from the trunk.
Dorsal
Medical term for position at the back.
DRUJ – Distal Radioulnar Joint
Joint between the forearm bones radius and ulna close to the wrist.
E
Epiphysis
Growth plate in bones.
Emboli
Blood clot blocking a vessel.
Endoprosthesis
Artificial joint.
Exercise Physiology
Gym based supervised activity to enhance recovery after injury or surgery.
Extension
Straight position of a joint.
F
Femur
Bone of the thigh.
Fibula
One of two bones of the lower leg.
Flexion
Bent position of joints.
Fracture
Broken bone.
G
Gastrointestinal
Medical term for stomach and gut.
GHJ (Glenohumeral Joint)
Medical term for shoulder joint.
Glenoid
Part of the shoulder blade, socket of the shoulder joint.
H
Hamate
One of the eight wrist bones.
History
Summary of a patients story of disease or condition.
Heberden’s nodes
Bony or gelatinous nodes at the end joints of fingers and toes (DIPJ), often associated with arthritis.
I
IPJ (Interphalangeal Joint)
End joint in thumb and great toe.
J
Joint
Movable section between two or more bones.
K
Keyhole surgery (Arthroscopy)
A surgical technique that uses a camera (arthroscope) and other small instruments to perform minimal invasive joint procedures.
L
Labrum
Cartilage structure of the shoulder joint which provides stability.
Lunate
One of the eight wrist bones.
M
Malunion
Healing of a fractured bone in non anatomical position.
Metacarpal (bones)
Medical term for the bones of the mid hand.
MRI scan – Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Technique using magnetism to generate cross sectional images.
Muscle
Anatomical structure able to contract and generate joint motion.
N
Non-steroidal-anti-inflammatories (NSAID)
A subgroup of pharmaceutical drugs to reduce inflammation, pain and swelling.
O
Osteoporosis
Condition where bones lack minerals and become more fragile.
Osteotomy – corrective
Surgical technique to correct wrongly united fracture or to improve an anatomical axis.
P
Phalanx
Small bones of fingers and toes.
Physiotherapy
Non operative method of enhancing recovery using motion and exercises therapy as well as massages.
Pisiform
One of the eight wrist bones.
PIPJ (Proximal Interphalangeal Joint)
Middle joint of finger. and toes.
Pneumonia
Infection of the lung usually caused by bacteria.
Polyarthritis
Degeneration of multiple joints in one body, often including the small finger joints.
Pronation
Direction of forearm rotation with palm down.
Proximal
Medical term for direction towards the trunk.
Q
Question
Please bring it on. There are no silly ones.
R
Radial Head
Part of the radius close to elbow, facilitating forearm rotation.
Radius
One of two bones in the forearm.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Systemic condition resulting in chronic inflammation and degeneration of joints.
S
Scaphoid
One of the eight wrist bones.
Scapula
Shoulder blade
Skeleton
Combination of bones which form the scaffold for the human body.
Sonography
Technique using sound to generate images.
Staph Aureus (Staphylococcus Aureus)
Specific bacterium that is part of normal skin flora. Can cause serious infections.
Streptococcus
Specific bacterium that is part of normal skin flora. Can cause serious infections.
Supination
Direction of forearm rotation with palm up.
Synovium
Inner layer of joints producing fluid (Synovial fluid) as lubrication.
Systemic Arthropathy
Generic term for inflammatory joint degeneration (i.e Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis).
Scintigraphy
Technique using radioactive marker injected to generate imaging studies showing areas of increased metabolic activity.
T
Tendon
Anatomical structure connecting muscle with bone.
Tibia
One of two bones of the lower leg.
Tourniquet
Inflatable cuff used to measure blood pressure or limit blood flow to an extremity
Trapezium
One of the eight wrist bones.
Trapezoid
One of the eight wrist bones.
Triquetrum
One of the eight wrist bones.
U
Ulna
One of the two bones in the forearm.
Ultrasound
Technique using sound to generate images.
V
W
Web Space
Space between fingers/toes and finger/thumb.
X
Xray
Technique using radiation to produce images of bones on photographic film.