Knee Pain Glossary of Terms

1. Take the Pain Quiz
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis Joint-Friendly Exercises Slideshow
3. Slideshow: Osteoarthritis - Exercises for OA of the Knee

Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Absorption: Uptake. For example, intestinal absorption is the uptake of food (or other sub...

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

ACL injury: See: Anterior cruciate injury.

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

Amputation: Removal of part or all of a body part that is enclosed by skin. Amputation can...

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 ...

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 ...

Antibiotic: A drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms. ...

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

Arthroscopic: Related to arthroscopy.

Arthroscopy: A surgical technique in which a tube-like instrument is inserted into a joint...

Aspiration: Removal of a sample of fluid and cells through a needle. Aspiration also re...

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

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

Bursae: Plural of bursa.

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

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is ...

Calf: The belly or fleshy hind part of the back of the leg below the knee. The calf is mad...

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...

Chills: feelings of coldness accompanied by shivering. Chills may develop after exposure t...

Chondromalacia: : Abnormal softening or degeneration of cartilage. See also patellofemoral...

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 ...

Circulation: In medicine, the movement of fluid through the body in a regular or circuitou...

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...

Compress: Cloth or another material applied under pressure to an area of the skin and held...

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

Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contra...

Cruciate: Cross-shaped.

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

Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

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...

Essential: In medicine, of unknown cause, as in essential hypertension (high blood pressur...

Extremity: An uttermost part of the body, such as a hand or a foot.

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...

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

Gonorrhea: A bacterial infection that is transmitted by sexual contact. Gonorrhea is one o...

Gout: Condition characterized by abnormally elevated levels of uric acid in the blood, rec...

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

Hemophilia: An inherited disorder in which the ability of blood to clot normally is impair...

High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

Housemaid's knee: See Prepatellar bursitis.

Hyaluronic acid: A viscous slippery substance that lubricates the joints, maintains the sh...

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

Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular ...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

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

Injure: To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emotional sense. Fr...

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

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

Jumper's knee: See: Patellar tendonitis.

Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

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 ...

Lower leg: The lower leg is the bottom segment of the leg: the part below the knee.

Magnetic resonance imaging: A procedure that uses magnetism, radio waves, and a computer t...

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

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

Metabolism: The whole range of biochemical processes that occur within a living organism. ...

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

Motor: Something that produces or refers to motion. For example, a motor neuron is a nerve...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

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

Narcotic: 1. A drug that causes insensibility or stupor. A narcotic induces narcosi...

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

NSAID: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, a medication that is commonly prescribed or pu...

Obese: Well above ones normal weight. A person has traditionally been considered to be obe...

Obesity: The state of being well above one's normal weight.

Operating room: A facility that is equipped for performing surgery. Abbreviated OR.

Orthotic: A support, brace, or splint used to support, align, prevent, or correct the func...

Osgood-Schlatter disease: A condition involving inflammation and sometimes tearing of liga...

Osteoarthritis: A type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss ...

Overweight: The term "overweight" is used in two different ways. In one sense it is a way ...

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...

Joint, patellofemoral: One of the knee joints. The knee has three parts. The thigh bone (f...

Pelvic: Having to do with the pelvis, the lower part of the abdomen, located between the h...

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

Physical therapist: A person who is trained and certified by a state or accrediting body t...

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

Prepatellar bursitis: Inflammation of the bursa that is positioned in front of the kneecap...

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ...

Proteins: Large molecules composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific orde...

Pseudogout: Inflammation of the joints that is caused by deposits of calcium pyrophosphate...

Puberty: Adolescence, the period in which the human body first becomes capable of reproduc...

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 ...

Referred pain: Pain felt at a site other than where the cause is situated. An example is t...

Regimen: A plan or a regulated course, such as a diet, exercise, or treatment, that is des...

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

Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of joint...

Rheumatologist: A specialist in the non-surgical treatment of rheumatic illnesses, espec...

Risk factor: Something that increases a person's chances of developing a disease. For exam...

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...

Seat belt: A belt used to hold an individual in their seat.

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

Sexually transmitted disease: Any disease transmitted by sexual contact; caused by microo...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Sprain: An injury to a ligament that results from overuse or trauma. The treatment of a sp...

Steroid: One of a large group of chemical substances classified by a specific carbon struc...

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

Strain: 1. An injury to a tendon or muscle resulting from overuse or trauma. 2. A heredita...

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

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

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

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...

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

Tired: A feeling of a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment,...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Tubercle: A small tuber; a small lump or bump.

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Upper leg: More properly called the thigh, the upper leg is the area between the knee and ...

Uric acid: A breakdown product of purines that are part of many foods. In gout, there are ...

Viable: Capable of life. For example, a viable premature baby is one who is able to surviv...

Warfarin: An anticoagulant drug (brand names: Coumarin, Panwarfin, Sofarin) taken to prev...

X-ray: High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-ray is used...