Sacral plexus

Saddle joint

Joint at which one bone surface has a convex saddle-like shape and the articulating bone surface is reciprocally shaped.

Salicylates

Any salt of salicyclic acid; used in aspirin.

Scapulohumeral rhythm

Coordinated rotational movement of the scapula that accompanies abduction and adduction of the humerus.

Scheuermann's disease

Osteochondrosis of the spine due to abnormal epiphyseal plate behavior that allows herniation of the disc into the vertebral body giving a characteristic wedge-shaped appearance.

Sciatica

Compression of a spinal nerve due to a herniated disc, annular tear, myogenic or muscle-related disease, spinal stenosis, facet joint arthropathy, or compression form the piriformis muscle.

Scoliosis

Lateral rotational spinal curvature.

Screwing-home mechanism

Rotation of the tibia on the femur at the end of extension to produce a “locking” of the knee in a closed packed position.

Sesamoid bones

Short bones embedded in tendons; largest is the patella (knee cap).

Sesmoiditis

Inflammation of the sesamoid bones of the first metatarsal.

Sever's disease

A traction-type injury, or osteochondrosis, of the calcaneal apophysis seen in young adolescents.

Shear

Sign

Objective measurable physical findings that you can hear, feel, see, or smell during the assessment.

SLAP

Stands for Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior and describes a type of an injury to the labrum of the shoulder. It occurs at the point where the tendon of the biceps muscle enters the labrum.

Smith's fracture

Snapping hip syndrome

A snapping sensation either heard or felt during hip motion.

Snowball crepitation

Sound similar to that heard when crunching snow into a snowball; indicative of tenosynovitis.

Soft tissue

The ligaments, tendons, and muscles in the muscoloskeletal system.

Somatic pain

Pain originating in the skin, ligaments, muscles, bones, or joints.

Spasm

Transitory muscle contractions.

Spina bifida occulta

Congenital defect in the vertebral canal characterized by absence of the laminae and spinous process.

Spinal stenosis

A loss of cerebrospinal fluid around the spinal cord due to deformation of the spinal cord, or a narrowing of the neural canal.

Splint

Splints are “half-casts” that immobilize a fracture, although not as rigidly as a full cast. Splints allow for swelling while immobilizing a fracture.

Spondylolisthesis

Anterior slippage of a vertebrae resulting from a complete bilateral fracture of the pars interarticularis.

Spondylolysis

A stress fracture of the pars interarticularis.

Sports Medicine

Area of health and special services that applies medical and scientific knowledge to prevent, recognize, manage, and rehabilitate injuries related to sport, exercises, or recreational activity.

Sprain

Injury to ligamentous tissue.

Static position

Stationary position in which no motion occurs.

Static stretching

Slow and deliberate muscle stretching used to increase range of motion.

Strain

Injury to a muscle or tendon.

Stress

The distribution of force within a body; quantified as force divided by the area over which the force acts.

Stress (fatigue) fracture

Fracture resulting from repeated loading with relatively low magnitude forces.

Stretch reflex

The monosynaptic reflex initiated by stretching muscle spindles that results in immediate development of muscle tension.

Subungual hematoma

Hematoma beneath a finger- or toenail.

Supination

Outward rotation of the forearm; palms facing forward. At the foot, combined motions of calcaneal inversion, foot adduction, and plantar flexion.

Symptom

Subjective evidence of an abnormal feeling of pain, weakness, or loss of function perceived by the injured individual.

Syndesmosis

A joint where the opposing surfaces are joined together by fibrous connective tissue.

Syndrome

An accumulation of common signs and symptoms characteristic of a particular injury or disease.

Synovial fluid

A clear, sticky fluid that is released by the synovial membrane and acts as a lubricant for joints and tendons.

Synovitis

Inflammation of a synovial membrane, particularly at a joint.