A
Term: Achilles tendon
Definition: Large and powerful tendon attached to the back of the heel.
Term: A-C joint
Definition: The articulation between the clavicle (collar bone) and the scapula (shoulder blade).
Term: Anterior cruciate ligament
Definition: Important ligament inside the knee joint essential to maintaining normal knee joint stability.
Term: Arthrodesis
Definition: Operation to fuse both sides of the joint together to stiffen the joint to relieve the pain of severe arthritis.
Term: Arthroplasty
Definition: Operation to replace a joint.
Term: Arthroscopy
Definition: Surgical procedure which employs a telescope to look into the joint to enable surgery to be done through small “keyhole” incisions.
B
Term: Bursa
Definition: Lubricating sack over a bony prominence
C
Term: Carpal tunnel
Definition: Canal created by wrist bones and associated ligaments in the palm through which the median nerve travels into the hand.
Term: Carpal tunnel syndrome
Definition: Compression of the median nerve in the carpal canal.
Term: Cartilage
Definition: The tough low friction surface which lines a joint.
Term: CMC joint
Definition: Carpo-metacarpal joint. The joint at the base of the thumb.
Term: Condroiten
Definition: Medication derived from shark cartilage and thought to improve normal cartilage healing.
Term: Cortisone
Definition: Naturally occurring and very powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
D
Term: Dislocation
Definition: Painful condition of a joint produced by injury or disease resulting in complete dissociation of the joint surfaces.
Term: DVT
Definition: Blood clot in the leg. May result in a pulmonary embolus.
E
Term: Epicondylitis
Definition: Painful condition of the medial or lateral epicondyle of the elbow.
F
Term: Text
Definition: Text
G
Term: Gluteal tendinopathy
Definition: Degenerative condition which affects the tendons important for driving the hip.
H
Term: Haemarthrosis
Definition: A joint filled with blood after injury.
Term: Hallux rigidus
Definition: A stiff and often painful big toe joint due to arthritis of the toe.
Term: Hallux valgus
Definition: A progressive deformity of the big toe possibly familial causing to toe to topple sideways which can disturb foot function and cause pain.
Term: Heel spur
Definition: A naturally occurring change in the shape of the bone related to normal aging processes and often mistakenly attributed as a cause of pain.
I
Term: Instability
Definition: The tendency of a joint to move in an unnatural way after ligament injury.
Term: Interposition arthroplasty
Definition: Joint replacement performed by placing as tendon into the joint to create a new bearing surface.
Term: Isometric strengthening
Definition: Powerful contraction of the muscle which does not result in change of length of the muscle (or motion of the adjacent joint).
L
Term: Lateral
Definition: Pertaining to structures away from the midline.
Term: Lateral epicondyle
Definition: Bony prominence on the outer aspect of the elbow.
Term: Ligament
Definition: Elastic structure crossing a joint which enables normal movement of the joint while maintaining the normal relative positions of the surfaces throughout the range of motion.
M
Term: Maltracking (patella)
Definition: Tendency of the knee cap to slide more to one side causing painful overload of the cartilage and predisposing to early wear.
Term: Medial
Definition: Pertaining to structures close to the midline.
Term: Medial epicondyle
Definition: Bony prominence on the inner aspect of the elbow (funny bone).
Term: Meniscus
Definition: Tough rubbery structure in either side of the knee which aids knee stability and protects cartilage from stress reducing wear and tear.
Term: MRI
Definition: Magnetic resonance imaging scan. Modern scanning technique specifically to look at the soft tissues not seen on an x-ray.
N
Term: Nerve conduction studies
Definition: Investigation of nerve function by studying electrical properties of the nerve and muscles.
Term: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
Definition: Class of medication particularly effective in dealing with the pain of arthritis
O
Term: Orthotic
Definition: Device placed in the shoe which alters the weight-bearing posture of the foot.
Term: Osteoarthrosis
Definition: Degenerative process leading to hip pain from wear and tear
P
Term: Palmaris longus
Definition:Small tendon in the forearm used for thumb joint replacement.
Term:Paraesthesiae
Definition: Unpleasant sensation otherwise known as pins and needles.
Term: Patella
Definition: Mobile bone at the front of the knee otherwise known as the knee cap.
Term: Plantar fascia
Definition: Tough tissue on the sole of the foot which maintains the structure of the arch of the foot.
Term: Plantar fasciitis
Definition: Painful condition of the plantar fascia due to degeneration but not inflammation.
Term: Prosthesis
Definition: Artificial joint used to replace an arthritic joint.
Term: Pulmonary embolus
Definition: Dangerous condition caused by blood clots entering the lung circulation.
Q
Term: Quadraceps
Definition: Very powerful muscle occupying the front of the thigh which extends the knee.
R
Term: Rheumatoid arthritis
Definition: Chronic and disabling inflammatory condition of joint causing arthritis
Term: R.I.C.E.
Definition: Rest Ice Compression Elevation
Term: Rotator cuff
Definition: A group of tendons and muscles responsible for elevating the shoulder.
S
Term: Sciatic nerve
Definition: The large nerve from your spine to your foot which runs directly behind the hip joint and supplies muscle power and sensation to the leg.
Term: Sequential calf compression
Definition: Clever device used on the legs after major lower limb surgery to promote circulation and reduce the risk of blood clot formation.
Term: Steindler release
Definition: Operation for plantar fasciitis which preserves foot mechanics.
Term: Supraspinatus
Definition: Important muscle of the rotator cuff.
Term: Surgical approach
Definition: The anatomical route through your tissues used to gain access to the hip joint.
Term: Synovitis
Definition: Inflammation of the lining of the joint responsible for production of lubricating fluid.
Term: Synovium
Definition: The lining of the joint responsible for production of lubricating fluid.
T
Term: Tibial tubercle
Definition: Bony prominence over the front of the knee to which the patella tendon attaches.
Term: Trochanteric bursitis
Definition: Old term which has been used to attribute the pain of hip tendon pathology to the bursa over the trochanter.
Term: Trochanter
Definition: Bony prominence over the lateral aspect of the upper thigh.
U
Term: Ulnar nerve
Definition: Important nerve on the medial side of the elbow responsible for much of the hand movements and sensation of the little and ring fingers.
Term: Ultrasound
Definition: Imaging investigation which employs very high frequency sound to create an image of soft tissues.