Patient Education  
     
 
Orthopedic Glossary of Terms
 
     
     
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Painful arc

 
 

Pain located within a limited number of degrees in the range of motion.

 
     
 

Palpation

 
 

Act of feeling a region with the fingers to detect temperature, swelling, point tenderness, deformity, crepitus, and cutaneous sensation.

 
     
 

Paralysis

 
 

Partial or complete loss of the ability to move a body part.

 
     
 

Paresis

 
 

Partial paralysis of a muscle leading to a weakened contraction.

 
     
 

Parasthesia

 
 

Abnormal sensations such as tingling, burning, itching, or prickling.

 
     
 

Parrot-beak tear

 
 

Horizontal meniscal tear typically in the middle segment of the lateral meniscus.

 
     
 

Passive movement

 
 

A limb or body part is moved through the range of motion with no assistance from the individual.

 
     
 

Passive stretching

 
 

Stretching of muscles, tendons, and ligaments produced by stretching force other than tension in the antagonist muscles; stretching of body part done by a clinician without help of the patient.

 
     
 

Patella

 
 

Kneecap bone.

 
     
 

Patella plica

 
 

A fold of the synovial lining that may cause medial knee pain without associated trauma.

 
     
 

Patellofemoral joint

 
 

Gliding joint between the patella and patella groove of the femur.

 
     
 

Patellofemoral stress syndrome

 
  Condition whereby the lateral retinaculum is tight, or the vastus medialis oblique is weak, leading to lateral excursion and pressure on the lateral facet of the patella causing a painful condition.  
     
 

Pathology

 
 

The cause of an injury, its development, and functional changes due to the injury process.

 
     
 

Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)

 
 

The ligament, located in the center of the knee, that controls the backwards movement of the tibia.

 
     
 

Periostitis

 
 

Inflammation of the periosteum (outer membrane covering bone).

 
     
 

Pes cavus

 
 

High arch.

 
     
 

Pes planus

 
 

Flat feet.

 
     
 

Phonophoresis

 
 

The introduction of anti-inflammatory drugs through the skin with the use of ultrasound.

 
     
 

Plantar fascia

 
 

Specialized band of fascia that covers the plantar surface of the foot and helps support the longitudinal arch.

 
     
 

Plyometric exercise

 
 

Type of explosive exercise that maximizes the myotatic on-stretch reflex.

 
     
 

Point tenderness

 
 

Specific painful area at an injury site that can be palpated.

 
     
 

Prognosis

 
 

Probably course of progress of an injury or disease.

 
     
 

Prolapsed disc

 
 

Condition when the eccentric nucleus produces a definite deformity as it works its way through the fibers of the annulus fibrosus.

 
     
 

Pronation

 
 

Inward rotation of the forearm; palms face posteriorly. At the foot, combined motions of calcaneal eversion, foot abduction, and dorsiflexion.

 
     
 

Pronator syndrome

 
 

Median nerve is entrapped by the pronator teres leading to pain on activities involving pronation.

 
     
 

Prophylactic

 
 

To prevent or protect.

 
     
 

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)

 
 

Exercises that stimulate proprioceptors in muscles, tendons, and joints to improve flexibility and strength.

 
     
 

Proprioceptors

 
 

Specialized deep sensory nerve cells in joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons sensitive to stretch, tension, and pressure that are responsible for position and movement.

 
     
 

Prosthesis

 
 

An artificial body part replacement.

 
     
 

Proximal

 
 

Closest to a reference point, i.e., the elbow is proximal to the wrist.