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Dictionary
Achilles tendonitis- A painful and often debilitating inflammation of the Achilles tendon
(heel cord). The
Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in
the body. It
is located in the back of the lower leg, attaches to the
heel bone (calcaneus), and connects the leg muscles to
the foot.
Anterior superior iliac spine- Refers
to the anterior extremity of the iliac
crest of the pelvis.
Arthritis- A group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body.
The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis
(degenerative joint disease) is a result of trauma to
the joint, infection of the joint, or age.
Emerging evidence suggests that abnormal anatomy
might contribute to the early development of
osteoarthritis. Other
arthritis forms are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, autoimmune diseases in which the body attacks
itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection.
Gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric
acid crystals in the joint, causing
inflammation.
Arthroplasties- An operative procedure of orthopaedic surgery performed, in which the
arthritic or dysfunctional joint surface is replaced or
by remodeling or realigning the joint by osteotomy or some other procedure.
Atherosclerosis- Comes from the Greek words athero (gruel or paste) and sclerosis
(hardness). It
is the name of the process in which deposits of
fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products,
calcium and other substances build up in the inner
lining of an artery.
This buildup is called plaque.
It usually affects large and medium-sized
arteries. Some hardening of arteries often occurs
when people grow older.
Brown Bar shoe construct- A non-movable, stationary foot abduction brace attached to
the shoes that forces constant external rotation of the
feet.
Bunion- Structural deformity in the foot beginning
with a leaning of the big toe, gradually changing the
angle of the bones over the years and slowly producing
the characteristic bump, which continues to become
increasingly prominent.
The visible bump actually reflects changes in the
bony framework of the front part of the foot. With a bunion, the big toe leans toward the second toe,
rather than pointing straight ahead.
This throws the bones out of alignment, producing
the bunion's bump at the metatarsophalangeal joint.
Cardiometabolic Syndrome- A constellation of maladaptive cardiovascular, renal, metabolic,
prothrombotic, and inflammatory abnormalities, is now
recognized as a disease entity by the American Society
of Endocrinology, National Cholesterol Education
Program, and World Health Organization, among others.
These cardiovascular and metabolic derangements
individually and interdependently lead to a substantial
increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and
mortality, making the cardiometabolic syndrome an
established and strong risk factor for premature and
severe CVD, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney
disease (CKD), and stroke.
Established and evolving treatment strategies
including moderate physical activity, weight reduction,
rigorous blood pressure control, correction of
dyslipidemia, and glycemic control have proven
beneficial in reversing these abnormal responses and
decreasing the CVD risk.
Other risk factors include hypertension, insulin
resistance, microalbuminuria, and hypercoagulability.
CDC- The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention is an agency of
the United
States Department
of Health and Human Services based in
unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia adjacent to the campus of Emory
University and east of the city of Atlanta.
It works to protect public health and safety by
providing information to enhance health decisions, and
it promotes health through partnerships with state
health departments and other organizations. The CDC
focuses national attention on developing and applying
disease prevention and control (especially infectious diseases), environmental health, occupational safety and health,
health
promotion, prevention and education
activities designed to improve the health of the people
of the United States.
Its mission is "to
promote health and quality of life by preventing and
controlling disease, injury, and disability."
Cast correction-manipulation of position in a
baby’s foot and leg through the serial application of
easily removed fiberglas (ScotchCast) casting material.
Chondromalacia patella- A general
term that indicates damage to the cartilage under your
kneecap and is more accurately referred to as
patellofemoral pain. Literally, the term means softening of the articular
cartilage of the knee-cap.
When the cartilage softens, it begins to break
down, which causes irregularities along the undersurface
of the patella.
External tibial rotation-the interuterine
position is the foot turned out. As the baby and child
grows, the tibial, or lower leg bone, turns in to bring
the foot straight to the thigh.
Femoral internal rotation- Or femoral anteversion, is an inward twisting of the thigh
bone, also known as the femur (the bone that is located
between the hip and the knee).
Femoral anteversion causes the child's knees and
feet to turn inward, or to have what is also known as a
"pigeon-toed" appearance.
Genu valgum- Commonly called "knock-knees”, is a condition where the knees angle in and touch
one another when the legs are straightened.
Individuals with severe valgus
deformities are typically unable to touch their feet
together while simultaneously straightening the legs.
The term originates from the Latin
genu,
"knee", and valgum,
"knock-kneed".
Hammertoes- A deformity of the middle joint of the second, third, or fourth toe causing it to be
permanently bent, resembling a hammer.
Hip acetabulum- The acetabulum
is a concave
surface of the pelvis.
The head
of the femur meets with the pelvis at the
acetabulum, forming the hip
joint.
Hyperpronation- A condition caused by the hereditary underdevelopment of the ankle bone
(talus) or heel bone (calcaneus).
This condition allows an abnormal range of motion
of the ankle bone inward, and/or forward, and/or
downward. The
abnormal motion leads to the closing of the naturally
occurring space (sinus tarsi) between the ankle and heel
bones.
Iliotibial band syndrome- One
of the leading causes of lateral knee
pain in runners. The iliotibial band is a superficial thickening of tissue
on the outside of the thigh, extending from the outside
of the pelvis, over the
hip and knee, and inserting just below the knee.
The band is crucial to stabilizing the knee during
running, moving from behind the femur
to the front during the gait
cycle. The continual rubbing of the band over the lateral femoral epicondyle,
combined with the repeated flexion and extension of the knee during running may cause the
area to become inflamed, or the band itself may suffer
irritation.
Ligamentous hyperlaxity-when the ligaments
are not of normal tension and the resulting joints may
have less than optimal support.
Low HDL- When LDLs are high, HDL are low. HDL
stands for High-density lipoprotein.
Metatarsophalangeal joint- The articulation between a metatarsal
bone
and a phalanx.
Miserable Malalignment Syndrome-
A combination of misalignments of the lower limbs that
can include excessive femoral anteversion with internal
rotation of the hip, external tibial rotation, and
forefoot pronation, and may be associated with an
increased Q angle, genu valgus, squinting patellae,
patella alta, ligamentous hyperlaxity, and flat feet.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS)- Drugs
with analgesic,
antipyretic
and anti-inflammatory effects, i.e. they reduce pain, fever and inflammation.
The term "non-steroidal" is used to
distinguish these drugs from steroids,
which (among a broad range of other effects) have a
similar eicosanoid-depressing,
anti-inflammatory action.
As analgesics, NSAIDs are unusual in that they
are non-narcotic.
NSAIDs are sometimes also referred to as non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory agents/analgesics (NSAIAs)
or non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIMs).
The most prominent members of this group of drugs
are aspirin,
ibuprofen,
and naproxen.
Orthotics- Orthopedic
devices that are used to alter or modify foot function
and are designed to treat, adjust, and support various
biomechanical foot disorders.
Some orthotics are simple, commercially-made
devices, such as cushioned heel cups or insoles for
shoes that are sold over the counter in drug stores or
other retail establishments.
The most effective orthotics, however, are
custom-made devices that are crafted to meet the
specific needs of a particular individual.
Osteoarthritis- OA,
also known as degenerative
arthritis,
degenerative
joint disease), is a clinical syndrome in which
low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints,
caused by abnormal wearing of the cartilage
that covers and acts as a cushion inside joints and
destruction or decrease of synovial
fluid that lubricates those joints.
As the bone surfaces become less well protected
by cartilage, the patient experiences pain upon weight
bearing, including walking and standing.
Due to decreased movement because of the pain,
regional muscles may atrophy,
and ligaments
may become more lax.
OA is the most common form of arthritis.
Patella- Also known as the kneecap, is a thick, triangular bone which articulates with
the femur
and covers and protects the
knee joint.
Patella
alta- Condition in which the kneecap rides too high up
on the femur (thigh bone).
This happens in quite a few people and may never
do any harm. However,
at the higher end of the thigh bone the groove in which
the patellar slides is much shallower than it is in the
normal position, so people with patella alta are more
likely to dislocate their kneecaps.
Patella alta is also seen in patellar tendon
rupture.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome- Retropatellar or peripatellar pain resulting from physical and
biochemical changes in the patellofemoral joint. Patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome have anterior knee
pain that typically occurs with activity and often
worsens when they are descending steps or hills.
It can also be triggered by prolonged sitting.
Patellar subluxation- Condition in which the kneecap does not slide centrally within its
groove, known as the trochlea. Depending on the severity
of the patellar subluxation, this improper tracking may
not cause the patient any problems, or it may lead to
dislocation of the patella (where the kneecap fully
dislocates out of the groove). Most commonly, the
tracking problem causes discomfort with activity, and
pain around the sides of the kneecap.
Peripheral neuropathy- In its most common form, causes pain and numbness in your hands and
feet. The
pain typically is described as tingling or burning,
while the loss of sensation often is compared to the
feeling of wearing a thin stocking or glove.
Peripheral neuropathy can result from such
problems as traumatic injuries, infections, metabolic
problems and exposure to toxins.
One of the most common causes of the disorder is
diabetes.
Plantar fasciitis- A painful inflammatory
condition caused by excessive wear to the plantar
fascia of the foot or biomechanical faults that cause abnormal pronation
of the foot.[1] The pain usually is felt on the underside of the heel, and is often most
intense with the first steps of the day. It is commonly
associated with long periods of weight bearing. Obesity, weight gain, jobs that require a lot of walking on
hard surfaces, shoes with little or no arch support, and
inactivity are also associated with the condition. This
condition often results in a heel
spur on the calcaneus,
in which case it is the underlying condition, and not
the spur itself, which produces the pain.
Posterior tibialis tendon strain and dysfunction- One
of several terms to describe a painful, progressive
flatfoot deformity in adults.
Other terms include posterior tibial tendon
insufficiency and adult acquired flatfoot.
Pronation- An anatomical term to describe a rotation movement.
The pronated foot is one in which the heel bone
angles inward and the arch tends to collapse.
Foot pronation will cause the sole of the foot to
face more laterally than when standing in the anatomical position.
Radiograph- An
image produced on a radiosensitive surface, such as a
photographic film, by radiation other than visible
light, especially by x-rays passed through an object or
by photographing a fluoroscopic image.
Real-time fluoroscopy-radiographic
examination that allows the image to be seen
continuously as the lower extremity moves, all in
digital form.
Subtalar arthroereisis- Arthroereisis is the limitation of excessive movement across the joint.
Subtalar arthroereisis is designed to correct the
excessive talar displacement and calcaneal eversion by
placing an implant in the sinus tarsi, a canal located
between the talus and the calcaneus.
Syndrome X- A
constellation of metabolic disorders that all result
from the primary disorder of insulin resistance.
All the metabolic abnormalities associated with
syndrome X can lead to cardiovascular disorders and when
present as a group, the risk for cardiovascular disease
and premature death are very high.
The characteristic disorders present in metabolic
syndrome X include insulin resistance, hypertension,
abnormalities of blood clotting, low HDL and high LDL
cholesterol levels, and high triglyceride levels.
Talipes valgus- A deformity resulting in permanent eversion,
i.e. the condition of being turned outward, of the foot
so that only the inner side of the sole rests on the
ground.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome- A
painful foot condition in which the tibial nerve is impinged and compressed, or
entrapped, as it travels through the tarsal
tunnel. Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (TTS) is also
known as Posterior Tibial Nerve Neuralgia. TTS is a
compression syndrome of the tibial nerve within the
Tarsal Tunnel. This tunnel is found along the inner leg
behind the medial malleolus (bump on the inside of the
ankle). The posterior tibial nerve, a major artery,
veins, and tendons travel in a bundle along this
pathway, through the Tarsal Tunnel. In the tunnel, the
nerve splits into three different paths. One nerve
(calcaneal) continues to the heel, the other two (medial
and lateral plantar nerves) continue on to the bottom of
the foot. The Tarsal Tunnel is made up of bone on the
inside and the flexor retinaculum on the outside.
Tibial tubercle- A small bump on the tibia where the patellar tendon of the quadriceps
muscle attaches. The
tibial tubercle is a growth center located just below
the knee joint on the front of the tibia.
Triglycerides-
A
type of fat found in your blood.
They are a major source of energy and the most
common type of fat in your body.
When you eat, your body uses the calories it
needs for quick energy.
Any extra calories are turned into triglycerides
and stored in fat cells to be used later.
The excess calories are stored as fat regardless
of what kind of food you eat-fat, carbohydrate, or
protein. If you regularly eat more calories than you
burn, you may have high triglycerides.
In normal amounts, triglycerides are important to
good health. When
triglyceride levels are high, it is not clear whether
these high levels directly increase your risk for heart
disease. But
high triglycerides are often part of a group of
conditions called metabolic syndrome. |
