surgical procedure that uses a piece of bone to replace lost bone or to fuse two bones together

nuclear medicine scan using radioactive dye to visualize bones; especially useful for finding stress fractures and bone cancer

repetitive motion disorder caused by pressure on tendons and nerves as they pass through carpal tunnel of wrist

broken bone with no open skin wound; also called simple fracture

bone break where bone shatters into many small fragments

broken bone with open skin wound; also called open fracture

bone break causing loss of height of vertebral body; may result from trauma, but in older persons, especially women, may occur in a bone weakened by osteoporosis

abnormal shortening of muscle fibers, tendons, or connective tissue making it difficult to stretch muscle

muscle enzyme found in skeletal and cardiac muscle; elevated blood levels associated with heart attack, muscular dystrophy, and other skeletal muscle pathologies

involuntary muscle contraction in response to striking muscle tendon with reflex hammer; test used to determine whether muscles respond properly

occurs when bones in joint are displaced from normal alignment and ends of bones are no longer in contact with each other

test using low-dose x-ray beams to measure bone density; used to diagnose osteoporosis

chronic condition with widespread aching and pain in the muscles and fibrous soft tissue

procedure to stabilize fractured bone while it heals

broken bone

fracture with incomplete break; one side of the bone breaks and other side only bends; commonly seen in children because their bones are still pliable

protrusion of intervertebral disk between two vertebrae, which puts pressure on spinal nerves; also called herniated disk or ruptured disk; may require surgery

fracture in which one bone fragment is pushed into another

abnormal increase in normal outward curvature of thoracic spine; also called hunchback or humpback

abnormal increase in normal forward curvature of lumbar spine; also called swayback

diagnostic imaging technique that uses electromagnetic energy to produce an image; especially useful for viewing soft tissues, such as spinal cord and intervertebral disks

loss of muscle bulk due to muscle disease, nervous system disease, or lack of use; commonly called muscle wasting

one of a group of inherited disease involving progressive muscle degeneration, weakness, and atrophy

large group of drugs that provide mild pain relief and anti-inflammatory benefits for conditions such as arthritis

bone break in which fracture line runs along an angle to shaft of the bone

externally applied brace or splint used to prevent or correct deformities

arthritis caused by loss of cartilage cushion covering bones in joint; most common in bearing weight joints; results in bone rubbing against bone

condition that develops due to a decrease in bone mass; results in a thinning and weakening of the bone; may lead to pathologic fractures; most commonly seen in older women

most common type of bone cancer; usually begins in osteocytes found at ends of bones; most frequently occurs in persons 10-25 years old

broken bone caused by diseased or weakened bone, not trauma

thin catheter tube inserted into intervertebral disk through skin to suck out pieces of herniated or ruptured disk; or laser is used to vaporize disk

any artificial device used as substitute for body part that is either missing from birth or lost as the result of an accident or disease

diagnostic imaging procedure using X-rays to study the internal structure of the body; especially useful for visualizing bones and joints

correcting fracture or dislocation by realigning bone

group of chronic disorders with tendon, muscle, joint, and nerve damage caused by prolonged periods of pressure, vibration, or repetitive movements

arthritis with swelling, stiffness, pain, and degeneration of cartilage in joints caused by chronic soft tissue inflammation; may result in crippling deformities; an autoimmune disease

abnormal lateral curvature of the spine

sudden, involuntary muscle contraction

birth defect that occurs when vertebra fails to fully form around spinal cord; ranges from mild to severe; if spinal cord is damaged, paralysis results

bone break in which fracture line spirals around shaft of the bone; caused by twisting injury; often slower to heal than other types of fractures

ligament injury from overstretching, but without joint dislocation or bone fracture

damage to the muscle or tendons from overuse or overstretching

a slight bone break caused by repetitive low-impact forces, such as running, rather than single forceful impact

surgical reconstruction of hip with artificial hip joint; also called total hip replacement (THR)

surgical reconstruction of knee joint with artificial knee joint; also called total knee replacement (TKR)

bone break with fracture line straight across shaft of bone