300 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 355-6000 Clinical Services (Orthopedic Surgery): Orthopedic Glossary This reference guide provides definitions for common orthopedic health terms that you may hear when your child is being treated for an orthopedic related condition. Many terms also have links to additional information on this website. A-C D-F G-I J-L M-O P-R S-T U-Z A Abduction Movement of a limb or body part away from the midline of your body Acetabulum The cup-shaped socket of the hip joint Adaptive Equipment Equipment that supports a child's positioning needs such as seating, standing, positioning and mobility, or assists with function Adolescent Scoliosis Lateral spinal curvature that appears before skeletal maturity Adduction The inward movement of an arm or leg toward the body Adult Scoliosis Scoliosis of any cause which is present after skeletal maturity Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) A short leg brace. Usually made of lightweight plastic that is worn inside the shoe. An AFO helps with better positioning of the feet and ankles Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) The ligament, located in the center of the knee, that controls rotation and forward movement of the tibia (shin bone) Anterior Spinal Fusion A fusion performed on the front of the spine, usually involves replacing inter-vertebral discs with bone Arthrogryposis Term used to describe a number of rare, non-progressive conditions characterized by stiff joints and abnormal muscle development Arthrotomy A surgical procedure to open and explore a joint Articular Cartilage Connective tissue that reduces friction between bony surfaces; found on the surfaces of bones within joints Atrophy Weakening of muscle tissue from lack of use Avascular Necrosis (AVN) A disease caused by the temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to bones; bone lacking blood can collapse and die B back to top Bilateral Relates to both sides of the body Bone Age An x-ray of the hand and wrist is compared to the average appearance of the bones at different ages. An estimate of remaining growth is obtained Bone Graft Pieces of bone used to create fusion. Bone graft may be obtained from the patient's iliac crest, rib, wrist, or from the bone bank Brace, Spinal A semi-rigid plastic device, which pushes on muscles and ribs near the spinal column. The brace is designed to decrease the abnormal spinal curvature while worn Brachial plexus The network of nerves that sends signals between the brain and the shoulder, arm and hand Bursas - Fluid-filled sacs located between the bones, ligaments, or other adjacent structures which help cushion the friction in a joint C back to top Capsulorraphy A surgical procedure to tighten loose tissue around the shoulder joint Cartilage Connective tissue found between bones and covering the ends of the bones in joints; allows bones to move smoothly; supports and cushions the skeleton Cervical Spine That portion of the vertebral column contained in the neck consisting of seven cervical vertebrae between the skull and the rib cage Clinodactyly A bending or curvature deformity of the finger which occurs in the plane of the hand Clubfoot A congenital deformity of the foot usually marked by a curled shape or twisted position of the ankle and heel and toes Compensatory Curve In spinal deformity, a secondary curve located above or below the structural curvature, which develops in order to maintain normal body alignment Congenital Scoliosis Scoliosis is due to bony abnormalities of the spine present at birth. These anomalies are classified as failure of vertebral formation and/or failure of segmentation Contraction The tightening or shortening of a muscle during a short period of time Contracture Permanent contraction of a muscle D back to top Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip A condition in which the head of the femur is not stable within the hip socket. If this condition goes untreated, it can lead to pain and osteoarthritis Disc The inter-vertebral disc is a strong, rubbery and gelatin like structure which normally separates the individual vertebral bodies and allows movement between them. Discs are usually removed from the portion of the spine undergoing anterior fusion and replaces with bone chips to create a fusion Discectomy The removal of all or part of an intervertebral disc (the soft tissue that acts as a shock absorber between the vertebral bodies) Dislocation A dislocation occurs when extreme force is put on a joint, allowing the ends of two connected bones to separate Double Curve Two lateral curvatures (scoliosis) in the same spine. Double major curve is two lateral curves of equal magnitude, and double thoracic curve is two thoracic curves Dysplasia An abnormal development of tissue; an alteration in the size, shape, and/or organization of cells or tissues Dystonia Impaired or disordered muscle tone E back to top Enchondroma Benign (non-cancerous) cartilage tumors seen frequently in arms and legs. F back to top Femur The thigh bone; also the biggest bone in the body Flexion Deformity Abnormal positioning of a bone or joint in a bent, or flexed position Fluctuating Tone Combination of low and high muscle tone Fracture A partial or complete break in the bone G back to top H back to top Hemivertebra A congenital anomaly of the spine caused by incomplete development of one side of a vertebra resulting in a wedge shape High Tone Term used to describe tight or spastic muscles Hip Impingement A condition in which the femoral head doesn't have a full range of motion within the acetabulum; caused by too much bone around the head and/or the socket turned backwards; causes pain and can result in damage to the cartilage and labrum Humerus The bone of the upper arm Hypertonia Increased tension in the muscles Hypotonia Decreased tension in the muscles I back to top Idiopathic Scoliosis A structural spinal curvature for which cause has not been established Iliac Crest The iliac crest is the large flat portion of the pelvis bone from which bone graft may be taken Infantile Scoliosis Lateral curvature of the spine that begins before age 3 IV The intravenous line, which delivers fluid and medicines through a hollow tube inserted in a vein J back to top K back to top Kyphosis Curvature of the spine with the curve pointing toward the front of the body L back to top Ligament Soft tissue structure that connects two bones together. Rupture or tearing can lead to pain and/or dysfunction of that joint Lordosis An anterior angulation of the spine in the sagittal plane. Contrast to kyphosis Lumbar Curve A spinal curvature whose apex is between the first and fourth lumbar vertebrae (also known as lumbar scoliosis) Lumbosacral Pertaining to the lumbar and sacral regions of the back M back to top Macrodactyly Abnormal enlargement of one or more fingers or toes Meniscus A curved part of cartilage in the knees and other joints Metacarpal Long bones in the palm, between the wrist and fingers Muscle tone The amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle N back to top Neuromuscular Scoliosis A form of scoliosis caused by a neurological disorder of the central nervous system or muscle O back to top Osteoarthritis A type of arthritis caused by the inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of articular cartilage in the joints Osteochondroma A benign tumor that contains both bone and cartilage and usually occurs near the end of a long bone Osteolysis Destruction of bone caused by disease, infection, or loss of blood supply Osteophyte An outgrowth of bone which forms around joints, deforming the joints and limiting their movements; commonly found in joints with osteoarthritis Osteotomy A surgical procedure in which bones are cut and re-orientated, with the goal of improving upper extremity function P back to top Patella Kneecap Pavlik Harness A type of brace used on infants to improve the position of the femoral head in the acetabulum Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO) A type of surgery in which the bones surrounding the acetabulum are cut and repositioned in order to better align the femoral head within the acetabulum Perthes Disease A condition in which the femoral head dies because of a temporary loss of blood supply to it Phalanx Any of the bones (or phalanges) of the fingers or toes Polydactyly The presence of more than the normal number of fingers or toes Posterior Fusion A technique of stabilizing two or more vertebra by bone grafting Prosthesis An artificial body part replacement Q back to top R back to top Radioulnar synostosis An abnormal bony or soft tissue connection between the radius and ulna, the two bones of the forearm Radius The long bone of forearm that rotates around the fixed ulna allowing for palm down and palm up positions of wrist Range of Motion (ROM) The amount of movement present at a person's joint Rib Hump The bump formed by ribs on the curve, caused by rotation of the spine and attached ribs Risser Sign The top of the pelvis bone grows in predictable stages referred to as Risser stages. These give some indication of growth remaining in the spine and rest of the skeleton S back to top Sacrum Curved triangular bone at the base of the spine, consisting of five fused vertebrae known as sacral vertebrae Sclerosis A hardening of tissue; often occurs in advanced stages of arthritis Scoliosis Sideways curvature of the spine greater than 15 degrees Skeletal Maturity When the bones, including the spine, are finished growing, skeletal maturity has been reached Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) A condition in which the growing end of the femur slips off from the rest of the femur Spinal Column The spinal column is made up of individual vertebral bones, ligaments, and discs. It surrounds the spinal cord Spinal Cord The spinal cord goes through the spinal column and consists of nerves, which carry and receive signals to and from the brain, arms, legs, and many internal organs Spondylitis An inflammatory disease of the spine Spondylolisthesis An anterior displacement of a vertebra on the adjacent lower vertebra Sprain A partial or complete tear of a ligament Strain A partial or complete tear of a muscle or tendon Stress Fracture A bone injury caused by overuse Syndactyly Term used to describe webbed or conjoined fingers Synovial membrane A tissue which lines the joints and seals it into a joint capsule. The synovial membrane secretes synovial fluid (a clear, sticky fluid) around the joint to lubricate it T back to top Tendons Fibrous cords that connect muscle to bone, and render function across a joint Tendon Transfer Surgical procedure in which the tendon is separated for its normal attachment and reattached in a different place. The goal of this procedure is to improve range of motion in the shoulder, wrist, elbow and hand Tibia The shin bone, or larger bone of the lower leg Trigger thumb Refers to a thumb that clicks, catches, or locks as the tip of the thumb moves from a flexed (bent) to extended (straight) position Total Joint Replacement A surgery done to replace a worn out joint U back to top Ulna Forearm bone that runs from the tip of the elbow to the little finger side of the wrist V back to top Vertebra Individual bones which make up the spinal column Vertebral Body The front portion of the individual vertebra The information on this website should not be taken as medical advice, which can only be given to you by your personal health care professional. Copyright © Children's Hospital Boston. All rights reserved.