Essential knee terminology
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- AAHKS search for term
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AAHKS is an abbreviation for the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons.
- AANA search for term
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AANA is an abbreviation for the Arthroscopy Association of North America.
- AAOS search for term
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Abbreviation for 'American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons'.
- Abduct search for term
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To abduct is to move the limb away from the midline, and towards the outer side, with the trunk upright.
- Abductor search for term
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An abductor is a muscle which, when contracted, causes the limb to abduct.
- Abrasion arthroplasty search for term
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Abrasion arthroplasty is a surgical procedure to smooth off bits of damaged joint cartilage using a high-speed burr.
- Achilles tendon search for term
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The achilles tendon is the big tendon at the back of the ankle.
- ACI search for term
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ACI is an abbreviation for 'autologous chondrocyte implantation'.
- ACL search for term
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ACL is an abbreviation for 'anterior cruciate ligament'.
- ACL allograft search for term
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An ACL allograft is a graft from a donor to reconstruct the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).
- ACL autograft search for term
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An ACL autograft is a reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament using tissue obtained from the same patient.
- ACL Rehabilitation search for term
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ACL rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is phased from early post surgery to return to normal function, including sport.
- ACT search for term
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ACT is an abbreviation for 'autologous chondrocyte transplantation'.
- Actifit search for term
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Actifit is a polyurethane meniscal scaffold to replace damaged meniscus, and into which new tissue can grow.
- Active assisted flexion search for term
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Active assisted flexion is a seated exercise, where active flexion of the knee is helped further by pressure from the good leg.
- Activities of Daily Living Scale search for term
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Activities of Daily Living Scale is an assessment of the fundamental skills generally needed to manage basic physical needs.
- Acupuncture search for term
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Acupuncture is a system, based on traditional Chinese medicine, of needling special points on the body to relieve pain or improve well-being.
- Adduct search for term
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To adduct is to move the limb towards the other limb, towards the middle.
- Adductor search for term
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An adductor is a muscle which, when contracted, adducts the limb, bringing it closer to the midline.
- Adhesions search for term
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Adhesions are frond-like filaments which form in the knee in response to inflammation and/or prolonged immobilisation of the knee.
- ADLS search for term
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ADLS is an abbreviation for 'Activities of Daily Living Scale'.
- AIR search for term
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AIR is an abbreviation for 'anterior interval release'.
- AKP search for term
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AKP is an abbreviation for 'anterior knee pain'.
- Allodynia search for term
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Allodynia is exquisite over-sensitivity of the skin, where light touch is felt as pain or marked discomfort.
- Allograft search for term
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An allograft is transplant of tissue that did not originate from the patient but from another person.
- Alta search for term
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Alta means 'high'.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons search for term
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The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is a professional body to which most American Orthopaedic Surgeons would choose to belong.
- American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine search for term
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The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) is a national organisation of orthopaedic surgeons specialising in sports medicine, including national and international sports medicine leaders.
- AMIC search for term
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AMIC is an abbreviation of 'autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis'.
- Amputation search for term
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Amputation can be above knee, through knee or below knee.
- Analgesic search for term
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An analgesic is a substance that helps to alleviate pain.
- Analgesics search for term
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Analgesics are painkillers.
- Anatomy search for term
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Anatomy means the 'shape' of the structures in the body, and how the different parts correspond to one another.
- Aneural search for term
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Aneural means 'without a nerve supply'.
- Aneurysm search for term
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An aneurysm is a 'blow-out' of a blood vessel at a point of weakness, where it may bulge or even rupture.
- Angiogram search for term
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An angiogram is an X-ray investigation of the blood vessels, where a contrast agent is injected into the blood vessel and an X-ray taken.
- Anterior search for term
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Anterior means 'in front' or 'in front of'.
- Anterior compartment search for term
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The anterior compartment of the knee is the geometric space behind the kneecap, usually filled with the fat pad.
- Anterior cruciate ligament search for term
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The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the two cruciate ligaments inside the knee.
- Anterior cruciate ligament injury search for term
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Anterior cruciate ligament injury may involve a complete or partial tear within the substance tear of the ligament or an avulsion from the bone.
- Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction search for term
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An anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is an operation to replace a damaged anterior cruciate ligament with a ligament graft or a synthetic ligament.
- Anterior drawer test search for term
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The anterior drawer test is an indicator of the integrity of the anterior cruciate ligament.
- Anterior horn search for term
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The words 'anterior horn' refer to the anterior horn of the meniscus.
- Anterior interval search for term
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The 'anterior interval' is the region of the knee between the fat pad and the front of the tibia bone (anterior tibial plateau) and the patellar tendon.
- Anterior interval arthrofibrosis search for term
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Anterior interval arthrofibrosis is the condition of abnormal scarring in the 'anterior interval' - the space below the kneecap and behind the patellar tendon.
- Anterior interval release search for term
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An anterior interval release is a surgical procedure to remove scar tissue in the 'anterior interval' - a region behind the patellar tendon.
- Anterior knee pain search for term
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Anterior knee pain is a symptom complex, dominated by 'pain in the front of the knee', particularly on prolonged sitting and navigating stairs.
- Anterolateral corner search for term
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The anterolateral corner (ALC) is that region on the outer side of the front of the knee.
- Anterolateral ligament search for term
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The anterolateral ligament (ALL) is a ligamentous thickening of the capsular ligament on the outer side of the knee, in front of the lateral collateral ligament.
- Anterolateral rotatory instability search for term
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Anterolateral rotatory instability is an excessive internal rotation of the tibia on the femur when the knee is bent, leading to excessive opening of the joint at the outer (lateral ) side.
- Anteversion search for term
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Anteversion is an abnormal forwards angulation of a bone; the term is usually used in relation to the femur.
- Anti-inflammatory search for term
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An anti-inflammatory is a substance that decreases inflammation.
- AOSSM search for term
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Abbreviation for 'American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine'.
- Apley's Test search for term
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Apley's test is a clinical test to try to identify possible damage to the meniscus.
- Aponeurosis search for term
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An aponeurosis is a fibrous sheet-like expansion of a tendon, for example of the biceps femoris or quadriceps muscles.
- Apoptosis search for term
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Apoptosis is the death of cells which occurs as a normal and controlled part of an organism's growth or development.
- Arcuate ligament search for term
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The arcuate ligament is a thickening of the posterolateral capsule at the back of the knee, that contributes to stability of the joint in this region.
- Arrow search for term
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An arrow in knee surgery is a small barbed fixation device for meniscal repair.
- Arthritis search for term
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Arthritis is a destructive process of the cartilage (the 'gristle') at the end of the bones.
- Arthrofibrosis search for term
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Arthrofibrosis of the knee is a complication of injury or surgery where an excessive scar tissue response leads to painful restriction of knee motion.
- Arthrogram search for term
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An arthrogram is an X-ray highlighting the joint space of the knee rather than the bones.
- Arthrolysis search for term
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Arthrolysis is the surgical cutting and removing of scar tissue in a stiff joint.
- Arthropathy search for term
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Arthropathy is a non-specific term implying disease of a joint.
- Arthroplasty search for term
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An arthroplasty is a joint replacement.
- Arthroscope search for term
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An arthroscope is the main instrument used for looking into the knee during keyhole surgery - ie arthroscopy.
- Arthroscopic search for term
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Arthroscopic means relating to keyhole surgery of a joint.
- Arthroscopic abrasion search for term
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Arthroscopic abrasion is a surgical technique for the management of early arthritis, where the surgeon takes a rotating burr and rubs the damaged surface down to bleeding bone.
- Arthroscopic debridement search for term
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Arthroscopic debridement is a surgical 'clean up' of the joint cavity via keyhole surgery.
- Arthroscopic lavage search for term
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Arthroscopic lavage means washing out any blood, fluid or loose debris from inside the joint cavity during a keyhole procedure.
- Arthroscopic meniscectomy search for term
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Arthroscopic meniscectomy is a surgical keyhole procedure to remove all or part of the meniscus of the knee.
- Arthroscopic surgery search for term
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Arthroscopic surgery is surgery performed via keyhole surgery or arthroscopy.
- Arthroscopic trochleoplasty search for term
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Arthroscopic trochleoplasty is a keyhole procedure in patients with trochlear dysplasia to improve the shape of the top of the groove where the kneecap runs.
- Arthroscopy search for term
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Arthroscopy means 'looking into a joint'.
- Articular search for term
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Articular means relating to the areas where bones move in relation to one another.
- Articular cartilage search for term
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Articular cartilage is the white gristle covering the ends of joint bones, where they articulate.
- Articular cartilage repair search for term
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Articular cartilage repair is the improvement of defects of the joint cartilage, either by surgery or biological intervention.
- Artificial meniscus search for term
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An artificial meniscus manufactured device that is slipped into the gap where a meniscus has previously been removed.
- Assisted flexion search for term
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Assisted flexion is a knee rehabilitation exercise where the good leg acts as a helper to increase the flexion.
- Assisted passive extensions search for term
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Assisted passive extensions are knee rehabilitation exercises.
- Athletic trainer search for term
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An athletic trainer is a professional specialising in athletic health care and fitness.
- Atrophic search for term
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Atrophic means 'wasted', ie muscle wasting.
- Atrophy search for term
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Atrophy means tissue wasting with actual loss of tissue cells (eg muscle atrophy, limb atrophy).
- Autograft search for term
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An autograft is a graft taken from one part of a person and transplanted elsewhere in the same person.
- Autologous search for term
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Autologous refers to tissue that is going to be used for transplant from one part of the body to another in the same person.
- Autologous chondrocyte implantation search for term
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Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a surgical procedure involving the injection of a person's own cultured joint cartilage cells back into a prepared defect in the cartilage.
- Autologous chondrocyte transplantation search for term
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Same procedure as 'autologous chondrocyte implantation' or ACI.
- Autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis search for term
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Autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis is a one-stage cartilage repair technique.
- Autonomic search for term
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An autonomic function is body process that occurs outside of voluntary contol - like sweating, blushing, salivating.
- Avascular search for term
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If a tissue is 'avascular' it is devoid of blood vessels.
- Avascular necrosis search for term
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Avascular necrosis is cell death caused by interruption of the blood supply.
- Avon partial knee replacement search for term
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The Avon partial knee replacement is a type of knee replacement for patellar damage.
- Avulsion search for term
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An avulsion is a tearing away of the normal attachment of an anatomical structure.
- Avulsion fracture search for term
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An avulsion fracture is where a tendon or ligament tears off a bone, taking a fragment of the bone away with it.
- Axial plane search for term
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The axial plane is a transverse plane relative to a standing person.
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