Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Abduction – Movement of the body part away from the midline.
Acceleration – The rate of change in velocity.
Accessory motion – The movement of one articulating joint surface relative to another: involving spin, roll, glide etc.
Active range of motion – That portion of the total range of motion through which a joint can be moved by an active muscle contraction.
Acute injury – An injury with a sudden onset and short duration.
Adduction – Movement of the body part towards the midline of the body.
Aerobic activity – An activity in which the intensity is low enough that a sufficient amount of oxygen can be delivered to continue activity.
Agonist – A muscle or muscle group that contracts to produce a movement.
Anaerobic activity – An activity in which the intensity is so great that the demand for oxygen is greater than the body’s ability to deliver.
Analgesia – A loss of sensitivity to pain.
Anemia – An iron deficiency.
Antagonistic muscle – The muscle being stretched in response to contraction of the agonist muscle.
Anterior – Towards the front or ventral surface; opposite to posterior.
Anteversion – The tipping forward of a part as a whole, without bending.
Aponeurosis – A thin, sheetlike tendon made of dense connective tissue.
Apophysis – Bony outgrowth to which muscles attach.
Arthrosis – A degenerative process involving destruction of cartilage, remodelling of bone and possible secondary inflammation.
Articulation – A joint or connection of bones.
Atlas – The upper most vertebral bone of the spinal column (also labelled C1). The atlas is located just beneath the skull at the top of the cervical spine.
Atrophy – A decrease in muscle size due to inactivity.
Attenuation – A decrease in energy intensity as the ultrasound wave is transmitted through various tissues: caused by scattering and dispersion.
Avulsion – Forcible tearing away of a part or structure of a tissue from its normal attachment.
Axis - The 2nd cervical vertebra (C2); serves as a pivot for turning the head
B
Balance – The ability to control equilibrium, either static or dynamic.
Ballistic stretching – A stretching technique in which repetitive contraction of the agonist muscle are used to produce quick stretches of the antagonist muscle.
Basal metabolic rate – The rate at which calories are used for carrying on the body’s vital function and maintenance activities when the body is at rest.
Bilateral – Affecting, or related to two sides.
Bursa – A small fluid filled sac that reduces friction between two structures.
Bursitis – Inflammation of a bursa, especially of a bursa located around a joint.
Bunion - abnormal prominence of the inner aspect of the first metatarsal head, accompanied by bursal formation and resulting in a lateral or valgus displacement of the great toe.
C
Calisthenic exercises – Exercises that use body weight as resistance.
Cardiac output – The volume of blood the heart is capable of pumping in exactly 1 minute.
Cardio respiratory endurance – The ability to persist in physical activity requiring oxygen for physical exertion without experiencing fatigue.
Cartilaginous joint – A joint in which two bony surfaces are united by cartilage; the two types of cartilaginous joints are synchondroses and symphyses.
Caudal – Downward, away from the head.
Cephalic – Toward the head.
Chronic injury – An injury with long onset and long duration.
Circumduction – Circular movement of a bone at the joint, as in movement around the hip, shoulder or trunk around a fixed point.
Concentric contraction – A contraction in which the muscle shortens.
Condyle – a rounded articular surface at the extremity of the bone.
Condyloid joint – Type of joint in which the bones permit movement in two planes without rotation.
Contraction – An increase in muscle tension, with or without change in overall length.
Contractile tissue – Tissue capable of contraction (i.e. muscles).
Core stability – The ability to transfer the vertical projection of the centre of gravity around a stationary supporting base.
Coronal axis – see frontal plane.
Cramp – A spasmodic contraction of one or many muscles.
Crepitation – An audiable and/or palpipable crunching during movement of tendons or ligaments over bone.
Cutaneous – Referring to the skin.
D
Deep – Away from the surface of the body; the opposite of superficial.
Degeneration – Deterioration of tissue.
Distal – Farthest from a centre, from the midline or from the trunk.
Displacement – A change in position or location of an object from its original point of reference.
Dorsal – Relating to the back; posterior.
Dorsiflexion – Bending towards the dorsum or rear of the foot; opposite to plantar flexion.
Dynamic – Moving
E
Eccentric contraction – A contraction in which the muscle lengthens while contracting.
Edema – Swelling as a result of a collection of fluid in connective tissue.
Elongation –
Enarthrodial joint – Type of joint which permits movement in all planes, as in shoulder and hip joints.
Energy – Biologically, the ability to do work that is produced as body cells break down the chemical units of glucose, fats, or amino acids.
Epiphysis – A cartilaginous growth region of a bone.
Equilibruim – State of zero acceleration in which there is no change in the speed or direction of the body.
Eversion – Turning of the foot outwards.
Extension – Straightening movement resulting in an increase of the ankle in a jointby moving bones apart.
External rotation – Rotary movement around the longitudinal axis of a bone away form the midline of the body.
Extrisic muscles – muscles arising outside of, but which act upon, the structure under consideration.
Exudate – An accumulation of fluid in an area.
F
Facet – A small plane or concave surface. E.g. Articular facet – Flat surfaces where two vertebrae meet and articulate (move) forming a joint.
Fascia – A fibrous membrane that covers, supports, and separates muscles.
Fascicle – A bundle of muscle fibres.
Fasciotomy – An incision into the fascia to release pressure within the compartment.
Fast-twitch muscle fibres – A type of muscle fibre responsible for speed or power activities such as sprinting or weight lifting.
Fibrocartilage – A type of cartilage (e.g. interverbebral discs) in which the matrix contains thick bundles of collaginous fibres.
Flexion – Movement of the bones towards each other at a joint by decreasing the angle.
Flexibility – The ability to move the arms, legs and trunk freely throughtout a full, nontrestricted , pain-free range of motion.
For-foot – Front 1/3 of the foot
Force – A push or a pull produced by the action of one object or another; measured in pounds or newtons.
Force couple – Action of two forces in apposing direction about some axis of rotation.
Frontal plane – Bisects the body laterally form side to side, deviding it into back and front halves. Also known as the lateral or coronal plane.
G
Genu recurvatum – Hyperextension at the knee joint.
Genu valgum – Knock-kneed.
Genu varum – Bowlegged; more commonly known as Tibial varum.
Ginglymus joint – Type of joint which permits a wide range of movement in only one plane, such as in the elbow, ankle and knee joints.
H
Hallux – Big toe
Hallux Valgus – Bunion
Hallux Limitus – Limited range of motion of the big toe joint.
Hallux Rigitus – No motion at the big toe joint.
Herniation – A bulging or enlargement of soft tissue.
Hyperextension – Extreme stretching of a body part.
Hyper mobile – Extreme mobility of a joint.
Hypertrophy – An increase in muscle size in response to training.
Hyperventilation – Abnormally deep breathing that is prolonged, resulting in too much oxygen intake and too little carbon dioxide outtake.
Hypoxia – Oxygen deficiency.
I
Impingement – An encroachment on the space occupied by soft tissue such as nerve or muscle.
Inertia – The tendency for the current state of motion to be maintained, regardless of whether the body segment is moving at a particular velocity or it is motionless.
Inferior – Away from the head; opposite to superior.
Insertion – The point of attachment of a muscle farthest away from the midline or centre of the body; the opposite end is the origin.
Internal rotation – Rotary movement around the longitudinal axis of a bone towards the midline of the body.
Interosseous membrane – Connective tissue membrane between bones.
Interstitial – The space within an organ or tissue.
Interstitial fluid – The fluid that surrounds cells.
Intrinsic muscles – muscles fully contained (origin, belly, and insertion) within the structure under consideration.
Inversion – Turning of the sole of the foot inwards.
Isokinetic exercise – An exercise in which the speed of movement is constant regardless of the strength of a contraction.
Isometric exercise – An exercise in which the muscle contracts against resistance but does not change in length.
Isotonic exercise – An exercise in which the muscle contracts against resistance and changes in length.
J
Joint capsule – A saclike structure that encloses the ends of bones in a diarthrodial joint.
K
Kinematics – The description of motion including consideration of time, displacement, velocity, acceleration and space factors.
Kinetics – the study of forces associated with the motion of a body.
Kyphosis – Increased anterior concavity of the normal thoracic curve. The lumber spine may have a reduction of its normal lordotic curve, resulting in a flat-back appearance referred to as lumbar kyphosis.
L
Lateral – Away form the midline.
Lever – a rigid bar (bone) that moves about an axis.
Ligament – A type of tough connective tissue that attaches bone to bone to provide static stability to joints.
Linear displacement – The distance that a system moves in a straight line.
Linear motion – Motion along a line; also referred to as translatory motion.
Longitudinal axis – A vertical line extending in a cranial/caudal (top/bottom) direction about which movements of rotation take place.
Lordosis – Increased posterior concavity of the lumbar and cervical curves.
M
Macrotears – Tears usually caused by acute trauma, involving significant destruction of soft tissue and resulting in clinical symptoms and function alterations.
Mass – The amount of matter in a body.
Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) – A measurement taken in a laboratory to determine how much oxygen an athlete can use during maximal exercise.
Medial – Towards the midline.
Microtears – Soft tissue tears
Mid-foot – Middle 1/3 of the foot.
Momentum – The quality of motion, which is equal to mass x velocity.
Muscle – An organ composed of one of three types of muscle tissue (skeletal, cardiac or visceral), specialised for contraction.
Muscle Fatigue – a decline in the ability of a muscle to generate force.
Muscle Synergy – the working together of two muscles to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.
Muscle spindle – Mechanoreceptors within a skeletal muscle sensitive to changes in length and rate of length changes in muscle.
Muscular endurance – The ability to perform repetitive muscular contractions against some resistance for an extended period of time.
Muscular strength – The ability of a muscle to generate force against some resistance.
Myofascial – Skeletal muscles ensheathed by fibrous connective tissue.
Myofilaments – Small protein structures that are the contractile elements in a muscle fibre.
Myositis – Inflammation or soreness of a muscle tissue.
N
Neuroma – A tumor consisting mostly of nerve cells and nerve tissue,
Neuromuscular control – The interaction of the nervous and muscular systems to create coordinated movement.
O
Origin – The more stationary attachment site of a muscle to bone; the opposite end is the insertion.
Orthosis – An appliance used to correct, prevent, or support deformities to improve function of movable body parts.
Orthotics – Devices used to control abnormal/excessive movements of the foot.
Osteoporosis – A decrease in bone density.
P
Palpable – Touchable, accessible.
Pathology – Science of the structural and functional manifestation of disease; the manifestations of disease.
Pelvic girdle – The two hip bones.
Periosteum – A highly vascularized and innervated membrane lining the surface of bone.
Phagocytes – White blood cells.
Phagocytosis – Destruction of injurious cells or particles by phagocytes (white blood cells).
Phalanges – Bones of the fingers and toes.
Phalanx – Any one of the bones of the fingers and toes.
Plantar flexion – Bending or pointing the toe toward the floor; opposite to dorsiflexion.
Plyometric training – A technique of exercise that involves a rapid eccentric (lengthening) stretch of a muscle, followed immediately by a rapid concentric contraction of that muscle for the purpose of producing a forceful explosive movement.
Posterior – Toward the back, or dorsal service; opposite to anterior.
Power – The ability to generate great amounts of force against a certain resistance in a short period of time. (Physics) The rate of work done, measured in Watts.
Prime mover – A muscle that carries out an action.
Pronation – Rolling in of the foot. Combined foot movement of eversion and abduction.
Prone – To be positioned, lying down, on ones ventral surface (front).
Proprioception – The ability to determine the position of a joint in space.
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) – A group of manually resisted strengthening and stretching techniques.
Proximal – Nearest to the midline of the body or point of reference.
Q
Q - angle – the angle of the femur bone, relative the width of the hips.
R
Rear foot – Back 1/3 of the foot.
Regeneration – The repair, regrowth, or restoration of a part of a tissue.
Retroversion – Tilting or turning backward of a part.
S
Sagittal plane – A vertical plane that divides the body or organs into left and right portions, about movements of abduction and adduction takes place.
SAID principle – When the body is subjected to stresses and overloads of varying intensities, it will gradually adapt, over time, to overcome whatever demands are placed on it.
Scoliosis – Lateral rotary curve of the spine.
Slow - twitch muscle fibres – Muscle fibres that are resistant to fatigue and more useful in long - term endurance activities.
Speed – The ability to perform a particular movement very rapidly. It is a function of distance and time.
Spondylolysis – Degeneration of the vertebrae: most commonly it is a defect in the pars interarticularis of the articular process of the vertebrae.
Sprains – Damage to a ligament that provides support to a joint.
Static – non-moving
Static balance – The ability to maintain a centre of gravity over a fixed base of support (unilateral or bilateral) while standing on a stable surface.
Static stretching – Passively stretching a given antagonist muscle by placing it in a maximal position of stretch and holding it there for an extended time.
Steadiness – The ability to keep the body as motionless as possible; this is a measurement of postural sway.
Strain – The extent of deformation of tissue under loading.
Stress – A positive or negative force that produces strain on a physical body and disrupt the body’s equilibrium. The intensity of stress is expressed in units of force divided by units of area.
Stroke volume – The volume of blood being pumped out of the heart with each beat.
Superficial – Nearer to the surface of the body; the opposite of deep.
Superior – Towards the head; opposite of inferior.
Supination – Rolling out of the foot. Combined foot movement of inversion and abduction.
Supine – To be positioned, lying down, on one’s dorsal surface (back).
Synergist – A muscle that supports the prime mover.
Synovial joint – A joint containing a lubricating substance (synovial fluid) and lined with a synovial membrane or capsule.
T
Tendon – A fibrous tissue connecting skeletal muscle to bone.
Tendinitus – Inflammation of a tendon.
Tensile – A force which tends to stretch or elongate something.
Tenosynovitis – Inflammation of a tendon synovial sheath.
Tibial Varum – Bow-legged.
Torsion – A force which tends to twist something.
Torque – The moment of force applied during rotational motion (measured in foot pounds or newton meters).
Traction – A tension applied to a body segment which separates joint surfaces.
Translation – Equality of body parts on one side of the body when compared to the opposite side.
Transverse plane – A plane that divides the body in a horizontal direction, into top and bottom halves.
Trigger point – Localised deep tenderness in a palpable firm band of muscle. Sustained pressure on a trigger point reproduces the pattern of referred pain for that site.
U
Unilateral - Affecting, or related to one side.
V
Valgus – Position of a body part that is bent outward.
Valgus wedge – A wedge that is used to prevent movement in a valgus direction.
Varus – Position of a body part that is bent inward.
Varus wedge – A wedge that is used to prevent movement in a varus direction.
Vasoconstriction – A decrease in the diameter of blood vessel.
Vosodilation – An increase in the diameter of the blood vessel.
Volar – Referring to the palm or the sole.
Volume – Regarding exercise, the total amount of work that is performed in a singe workout session.
VO2 max – The maximum amount of oxygen in millilitres, one can use in one minute per kilogram of body weight.
W
Wolff’s Law – A law that states that bones remodels itself and provides increased strength along the lines of the mechanical forces placed on it.