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Glossary of Sports Medicine and Football-Related Injury

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from medfacts.com

Abrasion- Any injury which rubs off the surface of the skin. 

Achilles Tendon- The tendon at the back of the heel. The largest tendon in the human body and can withstand forces of 1,000 pounds or more.

AC Joint-  Acromioclaivcular joint; joint of the shoulder where acromion process (of the scapula) and the distal end of the clavicle meet; most shoulder separations occur at this point.  The specific part of the scapula, adjacent to the clavicle is called the acromion, hence the name AC joint. 

Ankle- The ankle is comprised of three bones, one of which (the talus) sets inside a cavity formed by the other two (the tibia and the fibula). Each one is joined to the other by a short ligament.  Any of these ligaments may be torn (sprained) or the bones may break (fracture) where the ligaments attach. This usually occurs in response to a twisting injury.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)- Ligament of knee attaching to anterior tibial plateau and posterior medical aspect of femoral condyle.  It provides stability in keeping the lower leg from coming forward.  Most common season-ending knee injury. Together with the PCL, provides stability for the knee joint, crossing eachother underneath the knee cap and muscle tissue. ACL injuries are typically from lateral or rotational torque on the knee.

Avulsion- Complete tearing away and seperation, typically used to describe a ligament.

Bicep- Muscle on the front of the upper arm responsible for raising the arm.

Bone Spur- Abnormal, bony growths at the end of bones. They are most commonly located in the spine or other weight-bearing joints. Bone spurs may grow on the ends of bones in any part of the body. The spurs have no protective cartilage, as other bones do, and may rub against other bones, blood vessels, or nerves. The spurs may cause slight discomfort, or severe pain.

Burner- A "burner" is an injury to one or more nerves between your neck and shoulder. It is also called a "stinger" and is not a serious neck injury. One of 3 things happens:  Shoulder is pushed down at the same time that the head is forced to the opposite side. This stretches nerves between your neck and shoulder.  Or, head is quickly moved to one side. This pinches nerves on that side. Or, the area above your collarbone is hit directly. This bruises nerves.  A burning or stinging feeling between the neck and shoulder, and probably in an arm or shoulder which may feel numb, tingly or weak. Burners happen in only one arm at a time. If both of arms or one arm and a leg are hurt, it may be a serious neck injury, not a burner.  Burners get better on their own. It may need physical therapy to stretch and strengthen your muscles. Some burners last a few minutes. Others take several days or weeks to heal. If a burner lasts more than a few weeks, it may call for a test called an electromyogram (EMG). 

Bursitis- You have more than 150 bursae throughout your body. These tiny sacs of fluid cushion movement between bones and muscles and tendons attached to bones, facilitating movement by limiting friction. When a bursa becomes inflamed, the resulting disorder is called bursitis.

Cartilage- Three different types of cartilage are found in the body. Articular or hyaline cartilage (covers joint surfaces), fibrocartilage (knee meniscus, vertebral disk), and elastic cartilage (outer ear). These different cartilages are distinguished by their structure, elasticity, and strength. In some joints, such as the knee, both articular cartilage and fibrocartilage are found functioning side-by-side, as distinctly different structures with different functions.  Articular cartilage is a complex, living tissue that lines the bony surface of joints. It’s function is to provide a low friction surface enabling the joint to withstand weight bearing through the range of motion needed to perform activities of daily living as well as athletic endeavors. In other words, articular cartilage is a very thin shock absorber.

Clavicle- The collar bone.

Concussion- A concussion is an injury to the brain, usually caused by a blow to the head that results in temporary loss of normal brain function.  In most cases, the person with a concussion never loses consciousness. A clinical syndrome characterized by immediate and transient alteration in brain function including alteration of mental status and level of consciousness, resulting from mechanical force or trauma. Concussion means a change in mental status. Those with concussions often cannot remember what happened immediately before or after the injury. They may slur their speech or exhibit confusion. Paramedics and football trainers who suspect a concussion ask injured people what year it is or direct them to count backward from ten in an attempt to detect altered brain function. A concussion can affect memory, judgment, reflexes and muscle coordination. The speech and balance of the injured person may also be impaired. A player who has sustained a concussion is four to six times more likely to sustain another one, and getting a second brain injury before the first one has healed can prove fatal.

Contusion- A bruise.  Discoloration caused by bleeding underneath the skin due to impact or, especially in the abdomen, more serious internal injury.

Degeneration- A gradual deterioration of a tissue over time.  Consistent trauma, such as playing football, can accelerate the degeneration of tissues, most commonly cartilage.

Dislocation- Complete displacement of joint surfaces.  Most common will happen in the shoulder, elbow or wrist.  Serious dislocations commonly occur alongside bone breakage, and ligament or muscle or tendon tearage.

Femur- The thigh bone.

Fibula- Bone in the lower leg behind the shin bone towards the calf.

Fracture-  Breach in continuity of a bone.  Types of fractures include simple, compound, comminuted, greenstick, incomplete, impacted, longitudinal, oblique, stress, or transverse. 

Frostbite- Exposure to dry cold well below freezing causes frostbite, with resultant structural and functional disturbances of the small blood vessels, cells, nerves, and skin. Ice crystals form within or between dermal cells, interfering with the sodium pump, and subsequent cell rupture. Dry cold injury is usually superficial: the hard carapace of dry gangrene is often only a few millimeters thick over healthy tissue.

Frostnip- Exposure to damp cold (temperatures around freezing) cause frostnip. Wet gangrene is often complicated by infection and tends to be deeper than a few millimeters.

Glenohumeral Joint- Ball and socket joint of the shoulder that connects the upper arm to the shoulder processes.  Also where deltoid and rotator cuff muscles are located.

Hamstring-  Muscle running from buttocks to behind the knee.  Often a pull or strain results from improper conditioning or lack of muscle flexibility.  Muscle responsible for flexing the knee joint.  A mild hamstring injury may recover within ten days to two weeks, but a more severe problem can last for over three months. Hamstring pain and spasm can be caused by a stress fracture in the thigh-bone.

Heatstroke (Sunstroke)- Exposure to high ambient temperature may lead either to excessive fluid loss and dehypovolemic shock (heat exhaustion) or to failure of heat mechanisms and dangerous hyperpyrexia (heatstroke.) Sweating is usually but not always decreased, and the skin is hot, flushed, and usually dry. The pulse rate increases rapidly and may reach 160; respirations usually increase. Disorientation may briefly precede unconsciousness or convulsions. The temperature climbs rapidly to 41C and the patient feels as if burning up. Circulatory collapse may precede death; after hours of extreme hyperpyrexia, survivors are likely to have permanent brain damage.

Heat Exhaustion- Exposure to high ambient temperature may lead either to excessive fluid loss and dehypovolemic shock (heat exhaustion) or to failure of heat mechanisms and dangerous hyperpyrexia (heatstroke.) Because of excessive fluid loss, this disorder gives adequate warning by increasing fatigue, weakness, anxiety, and drenching sweats, leading to circulatory collapse with slow thready pulse; low or imperceptible BP; cold, pale, clammy skin; and disorientation followed by a shock-like unconsciousness.  Syncope (faint) is a mild form of heat exhaustion and is precipitated by standing or a long time in a hot environment, eg. the soldier on the parade ground, and is due to pooling of blood in the heat-dilated vessels of the lower extremities.  Heat exhaustion is more difficult to diagnose than heatstroke, but its prognosis is far better unless circulatory failure is prolonged.

Herniated Disc- Herniated discs are often referred to as "slipped discs". This term derived from the action of the nucleus tissue when it is forced from the center of the disc. The disc itself does not slip. However, the nucleus tissues located in the center of the disc can be placed under so much pressure that it can cause the annulus to herniated or rupture against one or more of the spinal nerves may result in pain, numbness or weakness in the extremities or along the spine. Other names used for herniated discs are "prolapsed", "bulging", "ruptured".  

Hip Pointer- A direct blow to the iliac crest (side of the pelvic bone).  Generally results in a contusion (bruise).  A severe hip pointer can occur after a significant stretch injury that leads to tearing of the muscle fiber insertions at the iliac crest.

Hyperextension- Extreme extension, or straightening, of limb or body part. Commonly occurs in the knee.  Depending on the amount of collateral damage it can be a 1-3 week injury alone.  Commonly an tear of the ACL or MCL is initially diagnosed as a hyperextension.

Impingement Syndrome- Tightening of a joint due to swelling of tissues or bone spurs.  Common in the shoulder area.

Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)-  Ligament of knee attaching lateral femoral conndyle to the fibula head.  It provides lateral stability to the knee. 

Ligament- Band of fibrous tissue that connects bone to bone or bone to cartilage and supports and strengthens joints. 

Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)- Ligament of knee attaching to medial femoral condyle to medial tibia.  It provides medial stability to the knee. If injury alone, doesn't necessary end a player's season.

Meniscus- A wedge shaped structure in the knee that consists of fibrocartilage, a very tough but pliable material. The knee contains two menisci, a fibrocartilaginous material which functions as stabilizers of the knee and provide a measure of shock absorption.  The medial meniscus is located on the inside of the knee (towards the middle of the body) and the lateral meniscus is located on the outside of the knee.  They also help nourish the articular cartilage through their rich blood supply. This blood enhances the ability of the cartilage to repair itself. In young athletes, most injuries to the meniscus are the result of trauma. The menisci are especially vulnerable to injuries in which there is both compression and twisting applied across the knee. It is also common for the meniscus to be damaged in association with injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament. In older athletes, many meniscal tears are the result of trivial trauma, like twisting the knee, squatting, or through repetitive activities like running, which stresses the knee joint. These tears happen because the meniscus has a tendency to degenerate as part of the aging process. This degeneration often takes place in conjunction with early arthritic changes in the knee joint.  The meniscus does play an important role in the human knee, but once torn and unable to be repaired, many of the beneficial effects of that structure are lost. If a tear is causing pain and impaired function, removal of that tear is the treatment of choice.

Metacarpal- The bones of the hand and fingers.

Metatarsal- The small bones of the feet and toes.

Microfracture Surgery- Controversial procedure that perforates cartiladge and bone material to force a natural, regenerative response from the body. Blood and bone marrow flows to the surface of the joint, providing mass for new cartiladge and related tissues. Typically performed on the knee to threat arthritic conditions oor degenerating knee tissues, it can also be performed as the result of a damage to the meniscus or cartiladge barriers. While some players have seen improvement and prolonging of their careers, others have faced infection and further hemorrhaging.

Necrosis (Avascular Necrosis)- This results from a disrupted blood supply, from fracture, dislocation, or repetitive trauma.  Also referred to as aseptic necrosis or osteonecrosis, it is a disease that results from poor blood supply to an area of bone causing bone death. This is a serious condition because the dead areas of bone do not function normally, are weakened, and can collapse. Pain associated with avascular necrosis is often severe and unrelenting.  Avascular necrosis can be caused by trauma and damage to the blood vessels that supply bone its oxygen. Other causes of poor blood circulation to the bone include an embolism of air or fat that blocks the blood flow through the blood vessels, abnormally thick blood, and inflammation of the bloodvessel walls. 

Patella- The knee cap.  Normally, as the knee bends, the patella slides smoothly along a groove in the thigh bone.  

Patellar Tendon- Transmits power from the quadriceps to the lower leg.  Runs underneath the patella bone.  A tear of this tendon is a serious injury but athletes can recover from it.

Plantar Fascia- Consists of dense bands of tissue deep below the skin that extend out in a fan like fashion from the heel bone to the toes.

Plantar Fasciitis- Pain on the bottom of the heel that usually is felt on the first step out of bed in the morning or when walking again after resting from a walking or running activity. However, plantar fasciitis pain can, if it persists, soon be felt any time you are walking, running or jumping. Although the pain is mostly felt at the bottom of the heel, it can radiate down the entire bottom of the foot towards the toes.  Plantar fasciitis is thought to be caused by repetitive stretching of the tight bands of the plantar fascia which result in microtears in these bands as they arise from the heel. Because these tears don’t occur from a single traumatic event, they do not result in an immediate healing reaction, but instead result in chronic irritation or inflammation which increases with activity. Pulling of the tight plantar fascia on the heel bone during activity can result in the formation of a bone spur off the tip of the heel bone at the origin of the plantar fascia tissue. This bone spur itself is not the cause of pain, but rather the result of chronic irritation to the bone caused by the stretching of the tight tissue.

Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)- Ligament of the knee attaching to posterior tibial plataeu and anterior lateral aspect of femoral condyle.  It prevents the tibia (shin bone) from sliding backwards on the femur (thigh bone). PCL injuries typically result from a sudden force the bends the lower leg more forward than tissues allow.

Quadricep (Quad)- The four powerful muscles in the front of the thigh, responsible for extending the knee joint. 

Reconstruction- Surgical rebuilding of an injured joint. 

Rotator cuff- One of the most important components of the shoulder, comprised of a group of four muscles and tendons that hold the shoulder joint in place. Provides individuals with the ability to lift their arm and reach overhead. If injured, it can become difficult for people to recover the full shoulder function needed to throw.  The rotator cuff is important in maintaining the humeral head within the glenoid (socket) during normal shoulder function and also contributes to shoulder strength during activity. Normally, the rotator cuff glides smoothly between the undersurface of the acromion and the humeral head. The four muscles are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis.

Rupture- Complete tear of a tissue.  Most commonly, a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Scapula- The Shoulder blade. 

Sciatic Nerve- Largest nerve in the body located in back of leg which controls most of its function. 

Shin Splints- Shin splints represent pain originating at the point where the calf muscles are attached to the tibia (shin bone). This results in lower shin pain along a larger area than seen in stress fractures. The pain can be aggravated by running on hard surfaces or walking or running down hills. Discomfort to the touch and swelling are usually mild. The condition doesn't show up on X-rays. Compared with stress fractures, shin splints can be treated with fewer restrictions of activity.

Shoulder Dislocation- A partial dislocation (subluxation) means the head of the upper arm bone (humerus) is partially out of the socket (glenoid). A complete dislocation means it’s all the way out.  Shoulder joint can dislocate forward, backward or downward. A common type of shoulder dislocation is when your shoulder slips forward (anterior instability). This means your upper arm bone moved forward and down out of its joint.

Shoulder Separation- Can happen to anyone who falls and lands on the tip of their shoulder.  A partial or complete tear of one or both of the main ligaments (acromioclavicular (AC) and coracoclavicular (CC)) that connect your collarbone (clavicle) to your shoulder blade (scapula). A mild shoulder separation involves a sprain of the AC ligament that does not move the clavicle and looks normal on X-rays. More serious injury tears the AC ligament and sprains or slightly tears the CC ligament, putting the clavicle out of alignment to some extent. The most severe shoulder separation completely tears both the AC and CC ligaments and puts the shoulder joint noticeably out of position.  If both ligaments are torn or the injury is severe it will require surgery. Afterwards, shoulder is immobilized for up to a month.

Spasm- Sudden, violent, involuntary contraction of a muscle. 

Sprain- A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament. 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree, with 3rd being the most severe.  First degree- stretching but no tear of a ligament.  Athlete may be able to continue to play or usually return to play in a few days. Second degree- partial tear of a ligament.  Bracing may be required.  Athlete will usually miss one to four weeks. Third degree- complete tear of a ligament.  Depending upon ligament involved, bracing or even surgery may be required.  Athlete is usually out from three weeks up to twelve months depending upon course of treatment.  Commonly serious sprains happen in the knee while less mild sprains happen in the ankle.  1st degree and 2nd degree ankle sprains tend to recover within a short time frame and progress is usually noted within two weeks. A 3rd degree ankle sprain will take a longer period of time to heal depending upon the severity of the injury. A strong rehabilitation program undertaken with care, patients may gradually resume normal activities over a 6 week period.

Sternum- The breast bone.

Stinger- See "burner"

Strain-  A muscle injury.  The stretching, pulling or twisting of a muscle or a tendon. 

Stress Fracture- A hair-line type of break in bone caused by overuse. A stress fracture may not be detectable with X-rays until 2 or 3 weeks after symptoms begin. A bone scan may reveal the problem sooner.

Subluxation- A shifting in the connection of a joint that is a ball and socket joint, such as the shoulder or hip.  When the shoulder, for example, slides out of socket then back in.  More common and less serious than a dislocation but still quite painful.

Tendinitis- Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon. The pain is the result of tiny tears and inflammation in the tissue of the tendon itself. These tiny tears result from repeated stress on the tendon. In the knee, this occurs below the knee at the patellar tendon.

Tendon- Fibrous tissue that connects muscles to other structures. 

Tibia- The shin bone.

Triceps- Muscle of the posterior upper arm, opposite the biceps, that extends the elbow. 

Turf Burn- Abrasion resulting from contact with artificial turf in which one or more layers of skin are removed. 

Turf Toe-  Sprain of the metatasophalangeal (MTP) joint of the great toe or a bruise that occurs at the base of the big toe.  It usually occurs when the toe is jammed forcibly into the ground or, more commonly, when the toe is bent backward too far and it goes beyond where it should go. It causes significant pain and swelling at the base of the big toe. It can be a significant problem because players use the toe when they run and plant and push off. It can be so painful that they can't play at all. Once it happens the first time, the joint becomes a little bit stiffer and can get a little arthritic, which means your motion and mobility is less. It will take less of a force or bending of the toe next time to produce the pain. As the condition worsens, mobility is even further limited so that any bending of the big toe can cause a great deal of pain. This is one of the main reasons why turf toe can knock you out for a long period of time.  The original artificial turf was a little higher risk than natural grass because of its hardness, but turf toe can occur on any surface. But because modern artificial turf has such a strong grip, many players use tennis shoes on it and these have particularly soft soles, especially in the forefoot. These don't protect your toe at all. So it's not the artificial turf per se, but rather the footwear that makes you more susceptible to turf toe on the artificial surface. 

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