Plain definitions of 35 terms we use on the job in McDonough.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
Acute Injury is a sudden injury caused by a specific event, such as a collision, fall, or forceful movement. The injury may affect muscles, ligaments, joints, discs, nerves, or bone. Symptoms often appear quickly, although some develop later. Clinicians assess the event, affected tissues, symptoms, and changes in movement.
Also called: Recent injury
An adhesion is a band of fibrous connective tissue that may form after injury, inflammation, or surgery and restrict the normal sliding of nearby tissues. In musculoskeletal care, adhesions may involve fascia, muscle, or other soft tissue layers. Their presence can contribute to stiffness, limited motion, or localized tenderness.
Also called: Scar tissue adhesion
Alignment is the relative positioning of body structures, especially the vertebrae and joints, as they relate to one another during rest and movement. In chiropractic care, the term describes an observed relationship between these structures, not a promise that every person should match one ideal posture or body position.
Also called: Body alignment
Anterior Pelvic Tilt is a forward rotation of the pelvis that increases the inward curve of the lower back and changes how the hips, spine, and abdominal region align. The position may appear during standing, walking, or movement, and it can reflect posture, muscle activity, joint position, or pregnancy-related changes.
Also called: Lower crossed posture
Cervical Spine is the upper section of the vertebral column, located in the neck between the skull and thoracic spine. It contains vertebrae, joints, discs, muscles, ligaments, and nerve pathways that support head movement and connect the brain and body through the spinal cord.
Also called: Neck vertebrae
Chiropractic Subluxation is a chiropractic term for altered spinal joint function that may affect movement, muscle activity, or comfort. Chiropractors assess this concept through a patient history and physical examination. The term differs from a medical subluxation, which usually describes a partial joint dislocation identified through clinical or imaging findings.
Also called: Vertebral subluxation
A compression fracture is a break in a bone caused when pressure makes the bone collapse or lose height. The term most often describes an injury to a vertebra in the spine. Symptoms may include back pain, reduced movement, or changes in posture, although some compression fractures produce few noticeable symptoms.
Also called: Spinal compression fracture
A Disc Bulge is a condition in which the outer wall of an intervertebral disc extends beyond its usual boundary. The disc material remains contained within the outer layer. A bulge may affect nearby nerves or spinal joints, although imaging findings do not always explain a person’s pain or other symptoms.
Also called: Bulging disc
Disc Degeneration is a gradual change in the spinal discs that reduces their normal water content, flexibility, or height. Spinal discs sit between the vertebrae and help distribute pressure during movement. Degeneration may occur with aging, repeated strain, or injury, and imaging findings do not always match the level of pain or other symptoms.
Also called: Degenerative disc disease
Effleurage is a massage technique that uses smooth, gliding strokes across the body to warm soft tissue, spread massage oil, and prepare an area for deeper work. Pressure may range from light to moderate, depending on the treatment goal and the person’s comfort. The technique commonly appears in Swedish massage.
Also called: Gliding massage
A facet joint is a small paired joint at the back of the spine that connects neighboring vertebrae. Facet joints guide spinal movement, help stabilize each spinal segment, and contain surfaces that allow controlled motion. Irritation or restricted movement in a facet joint may contribute to localized back or neck pain and stiffness.
Also called: Zygapophyseal joint
Forward Head Posture is a postural pattern in which the head rests in front of the shoulders instead of staying aligned over the upper body. This position changes the load placed on the neck and upper back during standing, sitting, walking, or screen use. The pattern may appear with rounded shoulders or increased upper-back curvature.
Also called: Text neck
Joint Mobility is the ability of a joint to move through its available range with coordinated motion between nearby bones, muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues. Clinicians consider mobility when examining movement quality, stiffness, and side-to-side differences. Mobility describes function, not a diagnosis or a measure of joint strength.
Also called: Joint range of motion
Kyphosis is an increased outward curve of the upper spine that can create a rounded back appearance. The curve usually involves the thoracic spine, which lies between the neck and lower back. Kyphosis may relate to posture, spinal shape, vertebral changes, or other health conditions, so assessment considers the person’s age, symptoms, and movement.
Also called: Rounded upper back
Lumbar Spine is the lower section of the spinal column between the thoracic spine and the sacrum. It contains vertebrae, discs, joints, nerves, and supporting muscles that help carry body weight and permit bending, turning, and other trunk movements. The lumbar spine is a frequent source of lower-back symptoms.
Also called: Lower back vertebrae
A muscle spasm is a sudden, involuntary tightening of muscle fibers that can limit movement and create local pain or stiffness. The contraction may affect a small area, such as a neck muscle, or a larger region, such as the lower back. Spasms can occur after strain, irritation, fatigue, or sustained posture.
Also called: Muscle cramp
Muscle Tension is a state in which muscle fibers remain partly contracted or feel tight during rest or movement. The sensation may affect one area, such as the neck or shoulders, or occur across connected muscles. Muscle tension can develop after sustained posture, repeated activity, physical strain, stress, or limited movement.
Also called: Muscle tightness
Nerve compression is pressure placed on a nerve or nerve root by nearby tissue, such as a disc, muscle, joint, or narrowed passage. The pressure can disrupt nerve signaling and contribute to symptoms such as pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, or altered sensation along the affected nerve’s pathway.
Also called: Compressed nerve
A nerve root is a short section of a spinal nerve that leaves the spinal cord area through an opening between vertebrae. Each nerve root carries signals between the spine and a specific region of the body. Pressure or irritation near this structure may relate to pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness along its pathway.
Also called: Spinal nerve root
Numbness is reduced or absent sensation in part of the body. The change may affect touch, pressure, temperature, or pain awareness. Numbness often follows irritation or compression of a nerve, but it can also occur with injury or other health conditions. Its location, pattern, and accompanying symptoms help clarify its significance.
Also called: Loss of sensation
Paresthesia is an altered skin sensation that may feel like tingling, prickling, burning, buzzing, or pins and needles. The sensation can occur without an outside stimulus and may affect an area supplied by an irritated or compressed nerve. In sciatica, paresthesia often follows the path of the sciatic nerve into the buttock, leg, or foot.
Also called: Pins and needles
Posture is the way you hold and position your body while sitting, standing, walking, or moving. It reflects the relationship among the spine, joints, muscles, and supporting tissues. Posture changes with activity, fatigue, pain, habits, and body structure, so assessment considers movement and position across more than one task.
Also called: Body posture
Range of Motion is the movement available at a joint, measured by how far a body part travels in a specific direction. The available movement may be active, produced by your own muscles, or passive, guided by another person. Clinicians compare motion between sides and track changes during care.
Also called: ROM
Referred Pain is a pain sensation felt in an area that differs from the tissue or structure producing the pain signal. Shared nerve pathways can cause the brain to locate the discomfort away from its source. The pattern may appear in muscles, joints, or other body regions and can complicate assessment.
Also called: Radiating pain
Round Ligament Pain is discomfort linked to stretching or irritation of the round ligaments that support the uterus during pregnancy. The sensation often appears in the lower abdomen, groin, or pelvic area and may feel sharp, pulling, aching, or brief. Body movement, posture changes, or pressure can make symptoms more noticeable.
Also called: Pregnancy ligament pain
Sacroiliac Joint is a paired connection between the sacrum at the base of the spine and the ilium of the pelvis. Each joint transfers load between the upper body and legs while allowing limited movement. Irritation or altered motion in this area may contribute to pain near the low back, buttock, hip, or pelvis.
Also called: SI joint
Sciatic Nerve is the body's largest peripheral nerve, formed by nerve roots in the lower spine and extending through the pelvis and buttock into each leg. It carries movement and sensation signals between the lower back, legs, and feet. Irritation or pressure along this pathway may produce sciatica symptoms.
Also called: Ischial nerve
Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine curves sideways and may rotate, creating an uneven appearance in the back or shoulders. The curve can affect posture, movement, and muscle balance. Scoliosis may develop during growth or arise from another condition, so assessment focuses on spinal shape and related physical findings.
Also called: Curved spine
Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine that can reduce room for the spinal cord or nerve roots. The narrowing may develop in the neck or lower back and may relate to bone changes, disc changes, or thickened spinal tissues. Symptoms can include pain, numbness, weakness, or reduced walking tolerance.
Also called: Narrow spinal canal
A sprain is an injury to a ligament, the tough tissue that connects one bone to another at a joint. A sprain occurs when a ligament stretches beyond its normal range or develops a tear. The injury may cause pain, swelling, tenderness, bruising, or reduced joint movement after a work-related event.
Also called: Ligament injury
A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon caused by overstretching, excessive force, or repeated loading. It may affect the tissue where a muscle meets a tendon and can produce localized pain, tenderness, weakness, swelling, or limited movement. Work-related lifting, reaching, pulling, and sudden movements can contribute to a strain.
Also called: Muscle injury
TENS is a noninvasive pain management method that sends mild electrical pulses through adhesive skin electrodes. The pulses may influence how pain signals travel through nearby nerves and may support temporary comfort. TENS does not correct every source of pain, so clinicians consider the underlying condition before recommending its use.
Also called: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
Thoracic Spine is the middle section of the spinal column, located between the cervical spine in the neck and the lumbar spine in the lower back. It contains the vertebrae that connect with the ribs and helps support the chest, protect the spinal cord, and coordinate movement between the upper and lower body.
Also called: Mid-back spine
Traction is a controlled pulling force applied to the spine or a joint to create space, reduce compressive loading, or support movement. In spinal decompression therapy, traction may be delivered through a specialized table or related equipment. The direction, force, and pattern of movement are selected according to the area being addressed and the person’s response.
Also called: Spinal traction
A vertebra is a single bone in the spinal column that helps support the body, protect the spinal cord, and guide movement. Vertebrae connect through joints and soft discs, while their shape varies by region. Neck, mid-back, and lower-back vertebrae perform related but distinct mechanical roles.
Also called: Spinal bone
