KNEE Dictionary beginning with C

A cadaver is a dead body. This term is generally used for bodies which have been donated to medicine or science.

A rehabilitation exercise.

The bridge of new bone between the bony ends of a break.

Elongating a limb, by stretching it at the site of a bone break and distracting the callus.

A capsule is a container which surrounds and protects something.

A surgical procedure to release tightness of the capsule.

A rehabilitation exercise.

'Carticel' is the trade name given to the cell culture grown from a patient's joint cartilage, and then returned to the patient to replace damaged cartilage.

This refers to the shiny white cap at the end of articulating bones (bones forming joints). The common term would be 'gristle', like the gristle at the end of a chicken bone.

Cartilagenous means 'of cartilage'.

Cartilages or 'knee cartilages' or 'semi-lunar cartilages' are the menisci of the knee.

The sensation of something suddenly obstructing the smooth movement of the joint.

The Caton-Deschamps Index is a measure of the position of the patella relative to the tibia.

Same as complex regional pain syndrome.

Cellulitis is a severe inflammation of the layers just under the skin in the connective tissue.

A cerclage wire is a wire which is wound during surgery around several objects (eg bony fragments) to hold them together until they heal.

ACho Pat strap is the trade name of a thick elasticated tube brace which goes over the joint under the patella, to change the forces on the patellar tendon.

The word 'chondral' means 'of cartilage', usually inferring joint cartilage.

A chondral defect is a crater in the gristle or hyaline cartilage at the end of the bones.

Chondritis is a general term which means 'inflammation of the cartilage joint surface'.

A chondrocyte is a cartilage cell.

Chondroitin (chondroitin sulphate) is a chemical substance which is widely taken by arthritics to slow joint cartilage breakdown.

Chondromalacia means 'softening of the gristle or joint cartilage' and usually refers to the kneecap (patella). The softening can be felt with a blunt probe during surgery.

Chondropaenia is the process of joint (articular) cartilage loss over time.

Chondroplasty means 'reshaping the joint surface' and refers to simple surgical techniques whereby fibrillated (ragged) and damaged joint surface is cut, scraped, lasered or burred away in the hope that the healthy joint surface will heal over the defect.

Chondrosis is an abnormal process going on in the joint cartilage.

An old problem, of long duration.

Pain in the calf and foot on walking.

Clergyman's knee is a swelling below the knee, properly called infrapatellar bursitis - inflammation in the infrapatellar bursa.

Sometimes a knee can make a clicking noise, and this may be painless or accompanied by discomfort or proper pain.

'Clinical' means 'medical'.

A clinical sign is a sign that is evident to a doctor examining a patient.

A clinician is a professional dealing with a patient's medical condition, eg a doctor, nurse, physiotherapist. It is a non-specific term, not implying any particular qualification or branch of medicine.

Refers to the moving limb forming an unbroken chain with another surface, eg a foot on a bicycle pedal.

Rehabilitation exercises where the moving limb is continually in contact with the surface of the exercise equipment, eg cycling.

An operation to change the angulation of a bone (eg femur or tibia) by cutting a wedge out of one side and closing the gap. Compare with 'opening wedge' osteotomy.

Coefficient of friction is a measure of the 'slipperiness' of something, for example the cartilage at the end of bone.

A commercial product that is formed from collagen material pre-shaped into a knee meniscus.

A commercial product that is formed from collagen material pre-shaped to suit the anatomical structure for which it is to be used.

The collateral ligaments are the 'guy ropes' on the sides of the knee.

A comminuted fractures is a bone break where the bone is smashed into several pieces.

The knee joint cavity is deemed to have three 'compartments' - the contact area between the femur and tibia bones on the inner (medial) side (medial compartment), the contact area between the femur and tibia bones on the outer (lateral) side (lateral compartment) and the contact area between the patella (kneecap) and the femur bones (patellofemoral compartment).

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a group of symptoms which occurs very uncommonly after injury or surgery or prolonged joint immobilisation, and where excessive and non-typical pain is a prime feature.

Computerised tomography - or computerised axial tomography (CT ot CAT scan) - is an X-ray imaging technique which allows the assessment of soft tissues as well as bones.

The condyles (or femoral condyles) are the rounded lower ends of the femur bone.

This is a measurement of the 'fit' of the kneecap (patella) into the underlying groove or 'trochlea' of the thighbone (femur), i.e. the angle showing the relationship between the two. Compare with the sulcus angle.

A mode of rehabilitation where the knee is very gradually bent and straightened, over periods of hours, using a CPM machine.

Bruise.

If you stood against a glass door, pressing your nose against the door, and holding your arms out to the side, the glass door would be representing the coronal plane in relation to your body.

Injections of 'cortisone' may be given into the knee joint and inflamed areas of the knee to quieten inflammation.

An injection of a cortisone product.

Abbreviation for 'continuous passive motion'.

A CPM machine is a device fitted to the leg, usually after surgery, to keep the limb slowly bending and straightening.

When joint cartilage breaks down, it firstly softens and then forms a fibrillated appearance, where the white fronds resemble crab meat.

Crepitus (in the knees) is a fine crunching noise, usually on bending the knee from standing, reminiscent of crushing a packet of crispie rice breakfast cereal.

Rehabilitation exercise equipment.

Abbreviation for 'complex regional pain syndrome'.

The two cruciate ligaments (anterior and posterior) are very important ligaments right in the middle of the knee, connecting the thighbone (femur) and the shinbone (tibia).

A rehabilitation exercise.

Mobility aids to help with rehabilitation.

Cryotherapy is treatment using cold to reduce inflammation.

A scan of the body or a body part using the technique of computerised tomography.

Cybex is a trade name for an 'isokinetic' machine used both to measure knee function and for knee rehabilitation.

Cycling is often prescribed for knee rehabilitation, but cycling incorrectly can also lead to knee problems.

A cyclops lesion is a bunched up area of scar tissue in the notch of the femur.

A cyst is an abnormal discrete collection of fluid in a body space.