Click the letters below for the terms and their meanings.
A
- Abduction
- A movement of a limb away from midline or the center of the body
- Adduction
- A movement of a limb toward midline or the center of the body
- Ataxia
- Muscular incoordination especially manifested when voluntary muscular movements are attempted
B
- Base of Support
- The weight-bearing surface of the body. For example: in standing = the feet
- Bilateral
- Pertaining to two sides of the body, as in: both arms or both legs
C
- Calcaneal Valgum
- Angling of the heel of the foot outward, thereby flattening the arch of the foot
- Calcaneal Varum
- Angling of the heel of the foot inward, thereby increasing or heightening the arch of the foot
- Cervical
- Pertaining to the neck
- Core
- Pertaining to the trunk (primarily abdominals and back)
D
- Dissociation
- To separate. For example: one extremity/limb performs a movement without the other extremity doing the same or similar movement at the same time
- Distal
- Farthest from the center, from midline or from the trunk
- Dynamic
- Pertaining to vital forces or inherent power; refers to the body in motion; opposite of stationary
E
- Extension
- A straightening or backward movement of the spine or limbs
- External Rotation
- An outward turning of the limb away from the body
F
- Flexion
- A bending or forward movement of the spine or limbs
G
- Genu Valgum
- Angling of the knees inward as in "knock kneed"
- Genu Varum
- Angling of the knees outward as in "bow legged"
- Gross Motor
- Refers to movement of large muscle groups
H
- Hamstrings
- A muscle group on the back of the thigh that can bend/flex the knee and straighten/extend the hip
- Hyperextension
- Excessive movement in the direction of extension
- Hypermobility
- Movement beyond normal range of motion
- Hypertonic
- Muscle tone higher than normal; resistance to passive movement; in extreme form = spasticity
- Hypotonic
- Less than normal tone; floppy
I
- Internal Rotation
- An inward turning of the limb toward the body
- Instability
- Lack of firmness in weight-bearing. Difficulty maintaining weight bearing
J
K
- Kinesthesia
- Conscious awareness (perception) of body movement (direction and speed), detected by joints
- Kyphosis
- An increased convexity in the curvature of the thoracic spine (hunchback)
L
- Long-sitting
- Sitting with legs straight out in front
- Lordosis
- An anterior/forward curvature of the lumbar and cervical vertebrae (spine). An increase is often referred to as "sway-back"
- Lumbar
- Pertaining to the low back
M
- Midline
- The theoretical lines that divide the body into two equal halves vertically or horizontally
- Motor Control
- The ability of the Central Nervous System to regulate or direct the musculoskeletal system in a purposeful act
- Motor Planning
- The ability to organize and perform movement in a meaningful manner
N
O
- Obliquity
- A slanting
P
- Pes Planus
- Flat feet
- Prone
- Lying on the belly, face down
- Proprioception
- The awareness of posture, movement, changes in equilibrium, and the knowledge of position, weight, and resistance of objects in relation to the body. Sensed by muscles, tendons, and soft tissue
- Proximal
- Nearest to the point of attachment or center of the body
Q
- Quadriceps
- A large muscle group on the anterior/front surface of the thigh responsible for knee extension
R
- Range of Motion
- A measure of the amount of movement/motion available at any given joint of the body
- Recurvatum
- A backward bending, frequently referring to the knees
- Reflex
- An involuntary/automatic response to a stimulus
- Ring Sitting
- Sitting on the buttocks with legs forming a ring in front (not crossed)
S
- Sacral
- The triangular-shaped bone below the lumbar spine formed, typically, by the fusion of 5 vertebrae
- Side-sitting
- Sitting on one hip with legs flexed to the opposite side
- Spasticity
- Hypertension of muscles causing stiff and awkward movements
- Static
- At rest; in equilibrium; not in motion
- Supine
- Lying on the back, face up
- Symmetrical
Referring to symmetry of the body, whose right and left halves are mirror images of each other
T
- Tactile Defensiveness
- A negative response or increased sensitivity to touch
- Tailor-sitting
- Buttocks on the floor with legs flexed and crossed ("pretzel sitting")
- Thoracic
- Pertaining to or affecting the chest or upper back
- Tone (Muscle)
- The degree of tension normally present in the resting state of a muscle
U
- Unilateral
- Affecting or occurring on only one side of the body
V
- Vestibular Stimulation
- Stimulation of the vestibular apparatus (bones of the inner ear and canals) that provides information regarding acceleration and the position of the body in space
W
- Weight Shift
- Translation or movement of body weight from one side to another, forward or back
Information courtesy of www.alternatives4children.org