Glossary
| September 1, 2006
Glossary
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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