Chapter 21: Musculoskeletal Assessment

Abduction

Movement of a part away from the center of the body

Acromion process

Anatomical feature on the shoulder blade (scapula), together with the coracoid process extending laterally over the shoulder joint.

Adduction

Movement of a part toward the center of the body

Arthralgia

Pain in the Joints

Ataxia

Neurologic finding of gross lack of coordination of muscle movements

Atrophy

Wasting or shrinking of the muscle

Ballottement

Sign that indicates increased fluid in the suprapatellar pouch over the patella at the knee joint.

Bouchard node

Hard, non tender bony growths or gelatinous cysts on the proximal interphalangeal joints. A sign of osteoarthritis

Bursa

Fluid-filled sac in area of friction to cushion bones or ligaments that might rub against one another.

Circumduction

Circular motion that combines flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction.

Contracture

Shortening of tendons, fascia, or muscles; may result from injury or prolonged positioning. Once a contracture develops, it is difficult to stretch and may require surgery.

Crepitus

Medical term to describe the grating, crackling, or popping sounds and sensations experienced under the skin and joints.

Deviation

Lateral movement of the hand

Diarthortic Joint

Freely movable joint

Dorsiflexion

Bending the ankle so that the toes move toward the head

Effusion

Synovial thickening

Eversion

Sole of the foot is turned away from the other leg

Extension

movement of a joint whereby one part of the body is moved away from another. Increases the angle to a straight line to 0 degrees

Fascia

Flat sheets that line and protect the muscle fibers, attach muscle to bone or brings bones together

Flexion

Maneuver that decreases the angle between bones or brings bones together

Goniometer

Scale used for measuring the angle at which a joint can flex or extend.

Heberden nodes

Hard, nontender bony growths on the distal intraphalangeal joint.

Hyperextension

extension beyond the neutral position

Inversion

Turning of a structure toward the opposite

Kyphosis

Forward bending of the upper thoracic spine; may accompany osteoporosis, ankylosing spondylosis, and paget disease

Lordosis

increased lumbar curvature

Meniscus

cartilage disc between bones to absorb shock and cushion joints

Myalgia

Muscle Pain

myositis

inflammation of muscle

Olecranon process

Structure centered between the medial and the lateral epicondyles of the humerus.

opposition

moving the thumb to touch the little finger

Plantar flexion

Pointing the toes downward toward the ground

Polydactyly

congenital anomaly in which humans have supernumerary fingers or toes

Pronation

Turning a structure to face downward

Protrusion

Pushing a stricture forward

Radiocarpal joint

wrist joint

Retraction

Returning a structure to neutral posiition

Rotation

Turning of a joint around a longitudical axis

Scoliometer

Measuring device that may be used to obtain a measurement of the number of degrees that the spine is deviated in scoliosis.

Scoliosis

lateral curvature of the spine

Subluxation

partial dislocation of a joint

Supination

Turning a structure to face upward

Syndactyly

Condition where two or more digits are fused together