Glossary

Date Posted: September 1, 2006

In-Depth Report

abduction: Movement of a body part away from the midline.

acetabulum: The socket of the hip's ball-and-socket joint, part of the pelvic bone.

adduction: Movement of a body part toward or across the midline.

arthroplasty: Joint replacement.

arthroscopy: The use of miniature scopes and other small instruments inserted through small incisions to diagnose and repair joint problems.

articular cartilage: Tough, rubbery tissue that forms on the surface of bones within joints.

bursae: Cushioning sacs containing lubricating fluid located at a point of friction between two moving structures, such as a muscle and a tendon.

bursitis: Inflammation of a bursa, causing swelling and pain.

chondrocalcinosis: Arthritis caused by calcium crystals.

chondromalacia: Softening or wearing away of the articular cartilage, common in the knee joint on the underside of the patella.

condyle: One of the bony knobs of the knee joint located at the lower end of the femur.

crepitus: Grinding sensation or sound when a joint (especially the kneecap) is moved.

femur: Thighbone.

fibula: The smaller bone of the calf, located in the back.

gout: Arthritis caused by uric acid crystals.

inflammation: A response to injury or foreign invasion designed to protect the body; the symptoms are heat, redness, swelling, and pain.

ligament: Fibrous tissue connecting bones and cartilage.

patella: The bone that forms the kneecap.

synovial fluid: Liquid medium that lubricates the joints.

synovium: A thin membrane lining joint capsules that produces synovial fluid.

tendinitis: Inflammation of a tendon, usually caused by injury, that may cause pain and restrict movement of the muscle attached to the tendon.

tendon: A tough, fibrous band of tissue that attaches muscle to bone.

tibia: The shinbone; the large bone of the calf.

trochlea: A groove in front of the femur where the patella moves as the knee bends and straightens.

Review Date: 2006-09-01

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