Knee Injury Glossary of Terms

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Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness th...

Anatomy: The study of human or animal form, by observation or examination of the living be...

Ankle: The ankle joint is complex. It is made up of two joints: the true ankle joint and ...

Ankle pain: Pain in the ankle, a "hinged" joint. Ankle pain is commonly due to a sprain o...

Anterior: The front, as opposed to the posterior. The anterior surface of the heart is tow...

Anterior cruciate ligament: A ligament in the knee that crosses from the underside of the ...

Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

Arthroscope: A thin flexible fiberoptic scope which is introduced into a joint space throu...

Arthroscopic: Related to arthroscopy.

Bruise: Injury of the soft tissues that results in breakage of the local capillaries and l...

Bursa: A closed, fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction b...

Bursitis: Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a tiny fluid-filled sac that fu...

Cartilage: Firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints. A flexible kind of cartilag...

Cast: 1) A protective shell of fiberglass, plastic, or plaster, and bandage that is molde...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Chronic pain: Pain (an unpleasant sense of discomfort) that persists or progresses over ...

Collateral: In anatomy, a collateral is a subordinate or accessory part. A collateral is a...

Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

Compression: 1. The act of pressing together. As in a compression fracture, nerve c...

Contusion: Another name for a bruise. What is a bruise ? A bruise, or contusion, is caused...

Cruciate: Cross-shaped.

CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Femoral: Having to do with the femur.

Femur: The single bone in the thigh, which is the largest bone in the human body. Also kno...

Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

Fibula: The smaller of the two bones in the lower leg. The end of the fibula forms the bon...

Flexion: The process of bending, or the state of being bent. For example, flexion of the f...

Foot drop: See Foot-drop.

Fracture: A break in bone or cartilage. Although usually a result of trauma, a fracture ca...

Hamstring: One of the prominent tendons at the back of the knee. The hamstrings are the si...

Housemaid's knee: See Prepatellar bursitis.

Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

Intervention: The act of intervening, interfering or interceding with the intent of modify...

Isolate: A group in which mating is always between members of the group. For example, the ...

Joint: The area where two bones are attached for the purpose of permitting body parts to m...

Knee: The knee is a joint which has three parts. The thigh bone (the femur) meets the lar...

Knee joint: The knee joint has three parts. The thigh bone (the femur) meets the large sh...

Kneecap: The patella, the small bone in the front of the knee. The patella is a little (se...

Lateral: 1. In anatomy, the side of the body or a body part that is farther from th...

Leg: In popular usage, the part of the body from the top of the thigh down to the foot, an...

Ligament: A tough band of connective tissue that connects various structures, such as two ...

Medial: 1. Pertaining to the middle; in or toward the middle; nearer the middle of ...

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may ...

Meniscus: The word "meniscus" comes from the Greek and refers to a crescent-shaped structu...

Meniscus injury: Injuries to the crescent-shaped cartilage pads between the two joints for...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Nerve: A bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory an...

Operation: In medicine, a surgical procedure. Many operations are named after persons. The...

Orthopedist: An orthopedic surgeon, a physician who corrects congenital or functional abno...

Osteoporosis: Thinning of the bones, with reduction in bone mass, due to depletion of calc...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Patella: The kneecap by another name, the patella is the small bone that is in the front ...

Patellar: Pertaining to the patella (kneecap).

Patellar tendon: A tendon that extends down from the quadriceps muscle in the thigh to inc...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Physical therapy: A branch of rehabilitative health that uses specially designed exercises...

Posterior: The back or behind, as opposed to the anterior.

Quadriceps: Although the term "quadriceps" technically may refer to any four-headed muscle...

Range of motion: The full movement potential of a joint, usually its range of flexion and ...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Rehabilitation: The process of helping a person who has suffered an illness or injury rest...

Rupture: A break or tear in any organ (such as the spleen) or soft tissue (such as the ach...

Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of...

Sensation: In medicine and physiology, sensation refers to the registration of an incoming...

Shin: 1. The tibia, the larger of the two bones in the lower leg.
2. T...

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Tear: A drop of the salty secretion of the lacrimal glands which serves to moisten the con...

Temple: The area just behind and to the side of the forehead and the eye, above the side o...

Tendon: The soft tissue by which muscle attaches to bone. Tendons are somewhat flexible, b...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Thigh: The thick, muscular portion of the leg that extends from the hip to the knee. The t...

Thigh bone: The thigh bone in anatomy is called the "femur." Whichever term you care to us...

Tibia: The larger of the two long bones in the lower leg. The tibia is familiarly known as...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Watchful waiting: Closely monitoring a patient's condition but withholding therapy until t...