14.9 Glossary

Abduction (ăb-DŬK-shŏn): The movement of a limb or other part away from the midline of the body or from another part. (Chapter 14.5)

Achilles tendon (ə-KĬL-ēz TĔN-dŏn): A tendon of the back of the leg, and the thickest in the human body, attaching the calf muscles to the heel bone. (Chapter 14.4)

Actin (ĂK-tin): A protein that forms (along with myosin) the contractile filaments of muscle cells and is involved in motion in other types of cells. (Chapter 14.4)

Active range of motion (ăk-tĭv rānj ŏv mō-shŏn) (AROM): The degree of movement a joint can be moved by a muscle contraction. (Chapter 14.7)

Adaptive equipment (ă-DĂP-tĭv ĭ-KWĬP-mĕnt): Devices or tools used to assist individuals with disabilities in performing tasks and activities, aiming to enhance independence and functionality. (Chapter 14.6)

Adduction (ă-DŬK-shŏn): The movement of a body part toward the body’s midline. (Chapter 14.5)

Assistive equipment (ă-SĬS-tĭv ĭ-KWĬP-mĕnt): Tools or devices that aid in performing daily tasks and activities, especially designed for people with disabilities, similar to adaptive equipment but may include a broader range of tools. (Chapter 14.6)

Ataxia (ă-TĂK-sē-ă): The lack of muscle control or coordination of voluntary movements, such as walking or picking up objects. (Chapter 14.6)

Atrophy (ĂT-rŏ-fē): The gradual wasting away, decrease in size, or degeneration of muscle or tissue. (Chapter 14.6)

Biceps brachialis (BĪ-sĕps brā-kē-ĂL-ĭs): A muscle in the upper arm that acts to flex the elbow, situated underneath the biceps brachii. (Chapter 14.4)

Biceps brachii (BĪ-sĕps BRĀ-kē-ī): A muscle of the upper arm that flexes the elbow and rotates the forearm. (Chapter 14.4)

Bradykinesia (brād-ē-kĭ-NĒ-zē-ă): Slowness of movement, a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease. (Chapter 14.5)

Cardiac muscle (KÄR-dē-ăk MŬS-ăl): Specialized, involuntary muscle tissue found only in the heart, responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. (Chapter 14.4)

Cerebral palsy (sĕr-Ē-brăl pôl-zē) (CP): A group of disorders affecting movement and muscle tone or posture caused by damage that occurs to the immature, developing brain, most often before birth. (Chapter 14.6)

Chiropractors (kī-RŎP-răk-tŏrs): Health care professionals focused on the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders, with an emphasis on treatment through manual adjustment and/or manipulation of the spine. (Chapter 14.7)

Contracture (kŏn-TRĂK-chŭr): The permanent tightening of muscles, tendons, skin, and other tissues, leading to a decrease in flexibility and mobility. (Chapter 14.6)

Deltoid (DĔL-toid): A large, triangular muscle covering the shoulder joint and responsible for lifting the arm away from the body. (Chapter 14.4)

Diplopia (dĭ-PLŌ-pē-ă): Double vision. (Chapter 14.6)

Dorsiflexion (dôr-sĭ-FLĔK-shŏn): The backward flexion or bending of a hand or foot. (Chapter 14.5)

Dysarthria (dĭs-ĂR-thrē-ă): Slurred or slow speech that can be difficult to understand. (Chapter 14.6)

Dyskinesia (dĭs-kĭ-NĒ-zē-ă): Abnormality or impairment of voluntary movement. (Chapter 14.5, Chapter 14.6)

Dysphagia (dĭs-FĀ-jē-ă): Difficulty or discomfort in swallowing. (Chapter 14.6)

Dyspnea (dĭsp-NĒ-ă): Difficult or labored breathing. (Chapter 14.6)

Dystrophy (DĬS-trŏ-fē): A disorder in which an organ or tissue of the body wastes away. (Chapter 14.5)

Electromyogram (ĭ-lĕk-trō-mī-Ō-grăm) (EMG): A diagnostic test that measures the electrical activity of muscles. (Chapter 14.7)

Eversion (ē-VĔR-zhŭn): The action of turning outward the sole of the foot away from the body’s midline.(Chapter 14.5)

Extension (ĕk-STĔN-shŏn): A straightening movement that increases the angle between body parts. (Chapter 14.5)

Fibromyalgia (fī-brō-mī-ĂL-jē-ă): A disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. (Chapter 14.6)

Flaccid (FLĂS-ĭd): Lacking firmness, resilience, or muscle tone. (Chapter 14.6)

Flexion (FLĔK-shŏn): The action of bending or the condition of being bent, especially the bending of a limb or joint. (Chapter 14.5)

Gastrocnemius (găs-trŏk-NĒ-mē-ŭs): The major calf muscle, responsible for plantar flexing the foot at the ankle joint and flexing the leg at the knee joint. (Chapter 14.4)

Gluteus maximus (glū-TĒ-ŭs MĂK-sĭ-mŭs): The largest and most superficial of the three gluteal muscles, responsible for movement of the hip and thigh. (Chapter 14.4)

Hamstring (HĂM-strĭng): Any of the five tendons at the back of a person’s knee. (Chapter 14.4)

Hemiplegia (hĕm-ē-PLĒ-jē-ă): Paralysis of one side of the body. (Chapter 14.6)

Hyperkinesia (hī-pĕr-kĭ-NĒ-zē-ă): Excessive movement; an abnormally high level of activity. (Chapter 14.5)

Hypertrophy (hī-PĔR-trŏ-fē): The enlargement of an organ or tissue from the increase in size of its cells. (Chapter 14.5)

Inversion (in-VĔR-zhŭn): The process of turning inward the sole of the foot towards the body’s midline.  (Chapter 14.5)

Kinesiologists (kī-nē-sē-ŎL-ŏ-jĭsts): Specialists in the study of human movement. (Chapter 14.7)

Kinesiology (kī-nē-sē-ŌL-ŏ-jē): The study of the mechanics of body movements. (Chapter 14.7)

Latissimus dorsi (lă-tĭs’ĭ-mŭs DŌR-sī): A broad, flat muscle on the back that helps control movement of the shoulder. (Chapter 14.4)

Magnetic resonance imaging (măg-NĔT-ĭk rĕz-ŏ-năns ĬM-ă-jĭng) (MRI): A medical imaging technique used to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. (Chapter 14.7)

Massage therapists (MĂ-sāj THĔR-ă-pĭsts): Professionals who practice manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments) to enhance a person’s health and well-being. (Chapter 14.7)

Muscular dystrophy (mŭs’kyŭ-lăr DĬS-trŏ-fē) (MD): A group of diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. (Chapter 14.6)

Myalgia (mī-ĂL-jē-ă): Pain in a muscle or group of muscles. (Chapter 14.5, Chapter 14.6)

Myasthenia (mī-ăs-THĒ-nē-ă): Muscle weakness. (Chapter 14.5, Chapter 14.6)

Myasthenia gravis (mī-ăs-THĒ-nē-ă GRĂ-vĭs) (MG): A chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles, which are responsible for breathing and moving parts of the body, including the arms and legs. (Chapter 14.6)

Myoglobin (mī-Ŏ-glō-bĭn): A red protein containing heme that carries and stores oxygen in muscle cells. (Chapter 14.6)

Myorrhaphy (mī-ŎR-ă-fē): The surgical suturing of a muscle. (Chapter 14.7)

Myosin (MĪ-ŏ-sin): A type of protein filament that interacts with actin in muscle contraction and is also involved in cellular transport. (Chapter 14.4)

Neurologists (nū-rŎL-ŏ-jĭsts): Physicians who specialize in the treatment of diseases and disorders of the nervous system. (Chapter 14.7)

Occupational therapists (ŏk-yŭ-pā-shŏn-ăl THĔR-ă-pĭsts) (OT): Health professionals who help people recover, develop, and maintain daily living and work skills. (Chapter 14.7)

Occupational therapy assistants (ŏk-yŭ-pā-shŏn-ăl THĔR-ă-pē ă-SĬS-tănts) (OTA): Professionals who work under the direction of occupational therapists to assist patients in developing, recovering, and improving the skills needed for daily living and working. (Chapter 14.7)

Ocular myasthenia (Ō-kyŭ-lăr mī-ăs-THĒ-nē-ă): A form of myasthenia gravis that primarily affects the muscles that control eye and eyelid movement. (Chapter 14.6)

Orthopedists (ôr-THĒ-pĕ-dĭsts): Medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis, correction, prevention, and treatment of patients with skeletal deformities. (Chapter 14.7)

Orthotic/prosthetic devices (ŏr-THŎT-ĭk/prŏs-THĔT-ĭk dĭ-VĪS-ĕz): Apparatuses used to support, align, prevent, or correct deformities, or to improve the function of movable parts of the body. Orthotic devices are typically used to support weak or ineffective joints or muscles, whereas prosthetic devices replace missing body parts. (Chapter 14.6)

Paralysis (păr-ă-LĪ-sĭs): The loss of the ability to move (and sometimes to feel anything) in part or most of the body, typically as a result of illness, poison, or injury. (Chapter 14.6)

Paraplegia (păr-ă-PLĒ-jē-ă): Paralysis of the legs and lower body, typically caused by spinal injury or disease. (Chapter 14.6)

Passive range of motion (păs-ĭv rānj ŏv mō-shŏn) (PROM): The extent of movement a joint can be moved by an external force without muscle contraction. (Chapter 14.7)

Pectoralis major (pĕk’tŏ-rĂ-lĭs MĀ-jŏr): A thick, fan-shaped muscle situated at the chest of the body, making up the bulk of the male chest. (Chapter 14.4)

Physical therapists (FĬZ-ĭ-căl THĔR-ă-pĭsts) (PT): Healthcare professionals who provide services to individuals to develop, maintain, and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life. (Chapter 14.7)

Physical therapist assistants (FĬZ-ĭ-căl THĔR-ă-pĭst ă-SĬS-tănts) (PTA): Skilled health care workers who work under the supervision of a physical therapist to provide therapy services. (Chapter 14.7)

Plantar flexion (PLĂN-tăr FLĔK-shŏn): The movement of the foot in which the foot or toes flex downward toward the sole. (Chapter 14.5)

Polymyositis (pŏl-ē-mī-ō-SĪ-tĭs): Inflammation of many muscles. (Chapter 14.5)

Pronation (prō-NĀ-shŭn): The act of turning the palm downward or when applied to the foot, the inward roll of the foot/ankle. (Chapter 14.5)

Ptosis (TŌ-sĭs): Drooping of the upper eyelid due to paralysis or disease, or as a congenital condition. (Chapter 14.6)

Quadriceps (KWŎD-rĭ-sĕps): A large muscle group that includes the four prevailing muscles on the front of the thigh. (Chapter 14.4)

Quadriplegia or tetraplegia (kwŏd-rĭ-PLĒ-jē-ă or tĕt-ră-PLĒ-jē-ă): Paralysis of all four limbs; tetraplegia is another term for the same condition. (Chapter 14.6)

Range-of-motion testing (rānj ŏv mō-shŏn tĕs-tĭng) (ROM): A procedure that measures the extent of movement in a particular joint. (Chapter 14.7)

Rectus abdominis (RĔK-tŭs ăb-DŌM-ĭ-nĭs): A paired muscle running vertically on each side of the anterior wall of the human abdomen. (Chapter 14.4)

Rhabdomyolysis (răb-dō-mī-ŎL-ĭ-sĭs): A serious syndrome due to a direct or indirect muscle injury, resulting from the death of muscle fibers and release of their contents into the bloodstream. (Chapter 14.6)

Rotation (rō-TĀ-shŏn): Circular movement around a central point. Internal rotation is toward the center of the body, and external rotation is away from the center of the body. (Chapter 14.5)

Rotator cuff (RŌ-tā-tŏr kŭf): A group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint, keeping the head of the humerus firmly within the shallow socket of the shoulder. (Chapter 14.4)

Skeletal muscles (SKĔL-ĕ-tăl MŬS-ălz): Voluntary muscles attached to the skeleton, responsible for movement, posture, and balance. (Chapter 14.4)

Smooth muscle (SMŎŎTH MŬS-ăl): Involuntary, non-striated muscle that is found in the walls of internal organs such as the stomach, intestine, and blood vessels, controlling their movements.  (Chapter 14.4)

Spastic (spăs-TĬK): Relating to or affected by muscle spasm or increased reflexes. (Chapter 14.6)

Spasticity (spăs-TĬS-ĭ-tē): A feature of altered skeletal muscle performance with a combination of paralysis, increased tendon reflex activity, and hypertonia. (Chapter 14.6)

Sprain (sprān): An injury to ligaments caused by a wrench or twist, typically resulting in pain, swelling, and difficulty in movement. (Chapter 14.6)

Strain (strān): An injury to a muscle or tendon in which the muscle fibers tear as a result of overstretching, often causing pain and inflammation. (Chapter 14.6)

Striated (STRĪ-ā-tĕd): Muscle tissue characterized by the presence of striations, or alternating light and dark bands, typically found in skeletal and cardiac muscles. (Chapter 14.4)

Supination (sū-pi-NĀ-shŭn): The act of turning the palm upwards or when applied to the foot, the outward roll of the foot/ankle. (Chapter 14.5)

Tendonitis (tĕn-dŏ-NĪ-tĭs): Inflammation of a tendon, often causing pain and swelling. (Chapter 14.6)

Tendons (TĔN-dŏns): Tough bands of fibrous connective tissue that usually connect muscle to bone and are capable of withstanding tension. (Chapter 14.4)

Tenomyoplasty (tĕn-ō-MĪ-ō-plăs-tē): A surgical procedure involving the repair of both muscle and tendon. (Chapter 14.7)

Tenorrhaphy (tĕn-ŎR-ă-fē): The surgical suturing of a tendon. (Chapter 14.7)

Triceps brachii (TRĪ-sĕps BRĀ-kē-ī): A major muscle of the upper arm that extends the elbow. (Chapter 14.4)

Voice-activated technology (vois-ăk-TĬV-ā-tĕd tĕk-NŎL-ŏ-jē): Technology that is controlled through voice commands rather than manual operation, often used to assist individuals with mobility or dexterity issues. (Chapter 14.6)