A to Z of medical terms

Sports doctors often use long and technical words when giving us a diagnosis. If you are left feeling bewildered, here is a list of some medical terms and their meanings that may help.

MEDICAL TERMS A - G

A/C JOINT/ACROMIO CLAVICULAR JOINT
The joint between the collarbone and shoulder blade.

ACROMION
The boney tip of the shoulder/tip of shoulder blade.

AMINO ACIDS
The building blocks for protein, not enough of these and sports performance can be affected and lead to injury.

ANAEMIA
Insufficient red cells in the blood.

ANAEROBIC
Muscle exercise without oxygen, for example in explosive events like sprinting or weight lifting.

ARTHROGRAM
An x-ray technique using air and /or dye for joints. Injected into joints to show up torn cartilage. MRI is used more commonly these days.

ARTHROSCOPE
A technique using fibre optics to probe complex joints such as knee, shoulder, ankle and wrist to evaluate injury and perhaps follow up with an operation (ARTHROSCOPY).

ASTHMA
Breathing difficulties due to constriction of tubes to lungs.

BICEPS
Bulging muscle on the front of the upper arm.

BICEPS FEMORIS
One of hamstring muscles.

BONE SCAN
The use of radioactive dye to scan for stress fractures.

BURSA
A fluid filled sac that cushions muscles, tendons or ligaments from rubbing.

BURSITIS
Inflammation of the Bursa.

CALCANEUM
Heel bone.

CAPSULE
Lining linking bone to bone and containing a lubricating fluid.

CARDIOVASCULAR
Involving the heart and lungs, for example when playing sport the oxygen is transported from the lungs to muscle and also releases carbon dioxide.

CARTILAGE
Prevents two ends of bones from rubbing together.

CLAVICLE
Collarbone.

CONCENTRIC
Muscle working as it shortens.

CONGENITAL
Within the genes or from birth.

CONTUSION
Bruise.

COSTAL
Related to the ribs.

DELTOIDS
Muscles at the top of the arm just below the shoulder.

DORSIFLEX
Means bending the foot and ankle upwards.

ECCENTRIC
Muscle working as it lengthens.

EFFLUAGE
A massaging action to help reduce swelling.

EKG/ECG (Electrocardiogram)
Recording of the heart's electrical activity.

EMG (Electromyography)
Used for checking how well nerve muscle complex is working.

EXERCISE CARDIOGRAM
This is when electrocardiogram is used during exercise.

EXTENSION
Straightening or over-straightening of the joint.

FACET JOINT
The joints of the spine which join the vertebrae together.

FEMUR
The large thigh bone in the upper leg.

FIBULA
The smaller bone on the outside of the lower leg, and the lower part of this bone forms the outer anklebone.

FLEXION
The bending of a joint.

FRACTURE
Broken bone.

GASTROCNEMIUS
Part of the calf muscle.

GAIT
Style of running or walking.

MEDICAL TERMS H - N

HAMSTRING
Muscle at the back of the thigh which bends the knee.

HAEMATOMA
Often a raised lump will appear. A pocket of congealed blood which is more serious than a bruise.

HUMERUS
Upper arm bone.

IMPINGEMENT
Two surfaces rubbing together that usually don't. Gives a greater range of movement than normal.

INTERFERENTIAL
An electrical machine that heats muscles and joints. Also stimulates muscles and eases pain.

ISOMETRIC EXERCISES
Used for testing muscle and tendon pain and for building strength in one particular position.

ISOTONIC EXERCISES
To shorten and lengthen muscles with the same weight.

LATERAL
The outer side of the body.

LIGAMENT
Links bone to bone.

LOOSE BODY
A tiny fragment of bone or cartilage floating inside a joint.

MEDIAL
Inner side of body.

METACARPALS
The five bones in the hand just before the fingers with one end forming the knuckles.

METATARSALS
The five bones of the foot just before the toes.

MRI
Body scan for bone, disc, brain and soft tissue.

NSAIDS
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.

MEDICAL TERMS O - Z

OSTEOCHONDRITIS
Damage through cartilage and bone.

OSTEOPOROSIS
Bones become brittle, usually in old age.

PATELLA
Kneecap.

PECTORALS
Chest muscles.

PLLANTARFLEX
The downward bending movement of foot and ankle.

PROLOTHERAPY
Sugar injections into ligaments to strengthen them.

QUADS/QUADRICEPS
Muscles in the thigh that straighten the knee.

RADIUS
The forearm bone on the thumb side.

REFERRED PAIN
Pain in a part of the body that is away from the injured area.

RESTING PULSE
Pulse taken on awakening before getting up.

ROTATOR CUFF
A group of muscles that control the shoulder and hold the humerus into the scapula.

SACROILIAC JOINT
The two joints at the back of the pelvis.

SCAPULA
Shoulder blade.

SESAMOID BONE
Lies inside and adds strength to tendons as they cover a boney point, for example in the knee.

SOLEUS
Calf muscle.

SPECT SCAN
Extremely sensitive bone scan.

STERNUM
Breastbone.

SPRAIN
Ligament damage.

STRAIN
Muscle or tendon damage.

STRESS FRACTURE
A break in the bone caused by continual repetition of the same movement.

SYNOVIAL FLUID
Fluid that lubricates the joints.

TALUS
The foot bone that hinges in between the two ankle bones.

TENDON
Joins muscle to bone.

TENOSYNOVITIS
Inflammation of the tendon and the surrounding sheath.

TIBIA
The larger of the two bones in the lower leg.

TRAUMA
Injury caused by a direct blow or outside source.

TRICEPS
Muscles in the upper arm.

ULNA
One of the two bones in the forearm. Forms the point of the elbow and lies on the little finger side of the arm.

WHITE FIBRE
The part of the muscle that produces fast and strong results. Also known as fast twitch fibre.

XYPHISTERNUM
The stomach end of the breastbone and made of cartilage.