Body Parts

Bone Structure

Periosteum

Outermost layer of the bone, made up of fibrous tissue.

Compact bone

Dense, hard layers of bone tissue that lie underneath the periosteum.

Cancellous (spongy) bone

Contains little spaces like a sponge and is encased in the layers of compact bone.

Endosteum

Membranous lining of the hollow cavity of the bone.

Diaphysis

Shaft of the long bones.

Epiphysis (pl. epiphyses)

Ends of the long bones.

Bone marrow

Material found in the cavities of bones

Red marrow

Thick, blood-like material found in flat bones and the ends of long bones.  Location of blood cell formation.

Yellow marrow

Soft, fatty material found in the medullary cavity of long bones.

Skeletal Bones

Maxilla

Upper jawbone.

Mandible

Lower jawbone.

Vertebral column

Made up of bones called vertebrae (sing. Vertebra) through which the spinal cord runs.  The vertebral column protects the spinal cord, supports the head, and provides a point of attachment for ribs and muscles.

Cervical vertebrae

(C1 to C7)

First set of seven bones, forming the neck.

Thoracic vertebrae

(T1 to T12)

Second set of 12 vertebrae; they articulate with the 12 pairs of ribs to form the outward curve of the spine.

Lumbar vertebrae

(L1 to L5)

Third set of five larger vertebrae, which forms the inward curve of the spine.

Sacrum

Next five vertebrae, which fuse together to form a triangular bone positioned between the two hip bones.

Coccyx

Four vertebrae fused together to form the tailbone.

Lamina (pl. laminae)

Part of the vertebral arch.

Clavicle

Collarbone.

Scapula

Shoulder blade.

Acromion

Extension of the scapula, which forms the high point of the shoulder.

Sternum

Breastbone.

Xiphoid process

Lower portion of the sternum.

Humerus

Upper arm bone.

Ulna and radius

Lower arm bones.

Carpal bones

Wrist bones.

Metacarpal bones

Hand bones.

Phalanges (sing. phalanx)

Finger and toe bones.

Pelvic bone, hip bone

Made up of three bones fused together.

Ischium

Lower, rear portion on which one sits.

Ilium

Upper, wing-shaped part on each side.

Pubis

Anterior portion of the pelvic bone.

Acetabulum

Large socket in the pelvic bone for the head of the femur.

Femur

Upper leg bone.

Tibia and fibula

Lower leg bones.

Patella (pl. patellae)

Kneecap.

Tarsal bones

Ankle bones.

Calcaneus

Heel bone.

Metatarsal bones

Foot bones.

Joints

Articular cartilage

Smooth layer of gristle covering the contacting surface of joints.

Meniscus

Crescent-shaped cartilage found in the knee.

Intervertebral disk

Cartilaginous pad found between the vertebrae in the spine.

Pubic symphysis

Cartilaginous joint at which two pubic bones fuse together.

Synovia

Fluid secreted by the synovial membrane and found in joint cavities.

Bursa (pl. bursae)

Fluid-filled sac that allows for easy movement of one part of a joint over another.

Ligament

Flexible, tough band of fibrous connective tissue that attaches one bone to another at a joint.

Tendon

Band of fibrous connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone.

Aponeurosis

Strong sheet of tissue that acts as a tendon to attach muscles to bone.

Muscles

Skeletal muscles (also known as striated muscles)

Attached to bones by tendons and make body movement possible.  Skeletal muscles produce action by pulling and by working in pairs.  Also known as voluntary muscles because we have control over these muscles.

Smooth muscles (also known as unstriated muscles)

Located in internal organs such as the walls of blood vessels and the digestive tract.  They are also called involuntary muscles because they respond to impulses from the autonomic nerves and are not controlled voluntarily.

Cardiac muscle (also known as myocardium)

Forms most of the wall of the heart.  Its involuntary contractions produces the heartbeat.

Types of body movements

Abduction

Movement of drawing away from the middle.

Adduction

Movement of drawing toward the middle.

Inversion

Turning inward.

Eversion

Turning outward.

Extension

Movement in which a limb is placed in a straight position.

Flexion

Movement in which a limb is bent.

Pronation

Movement that turns the palm down.

Supination

Movement that turns the palm up.

Rotation

Turning around its own axis.

Prefixes

inter-

between

supra-

above

sym-, syn-

together, joined

Combining Forms

ankyl/o

crooked, stiff, bent

aponeur/o

aponeurosis

arthr/o

joint

burs/o

bursa (cavity)

carp/o

carpals

chondr/o

cartilage

clavic/o, clavicul/o

clavicle

cost/o

rib

crani/o

cranium

disk/o

intervertebral disk

femor/o

femur

fibul/o

fibula

humer/o

humerus

ili/o

ilium

ischi/o

ischium

kinesi/o

movement, motion

kyph/o

hump

lamin/o

lamina (thin, flat plate or layer)

lord/o

bent forward

lumb/o

loin, lumbar region of the spine

madibul/o

mandible

maxilla/o

maxilla

menisci/o

meniscus (crescent)

my/o, myos/o

muscle

myel/o

bone marrow

oste/o

bone

patell/o

patella

pelv/i, pelv/o

pelvis, pelvic bone

petr/o

stone

phalang/o

phalanges

pub/o

pubis

rachi/o

spine, vertebral column

radi/o

radius

sacr/o

sacrum

scapula/o

scapula

scoli/o

crooked, curved

spondyl/o, vertebr/o

vertebra

stern/o

sternum

synovi/o

synovia, synovial membrane

tars/o

tarsals

ten/o, tend/o, tendin/o

tendon

tibi/o

tibia

uln/o

ulna

Suffixes

-asthenia

weakness

-clasia, -clasis, -clast

break

-desis

surgical fixation, fusion

-physis

growth

-schisis

split, fissure

Medical Terms – not built from word parts

Ankylosing spondylitis

Form of arthritis that first affects the spine and adjacent structures, and that, as it progresses, causes a forward bend of the spine (also called Strümpell-Marie arthritis or disease and rheumatoid spondylitis).

Bunion

Abnormal enlargement of the joint at the base of the great toe.  It is a common problem, often hereditary or caused by poorly fitted shoes (also called hallux valgux)

Carpal tunnel syndrome

A common, painful disorder of the wrist caused by compression of a nerve.

Chiropodist, podiatrist

Specialist in treating and diagnosing diseases and disorders of the foot, including medical and surgical treatment.

Chiropractic

System of therapy that consists of manipulation of the vertebral column.

Chiropractor

Specialist in chiropractic.

Colles fracture

A type of wrist fracture (the fracture is at the lower end of the radius, the distal fragment being displaced backward).

Exostosis

Abnormal benign growth on the surface of bone (also called spur).

Fracture

Broken bone.

Gout

Disease in which an excessive amount of uric acid in the blood causes sodium urate crystals (tophi) to be deposited in the joints, especially that of the great toe.

Herniated disk

Rupture of the intervertebral disk cartilage, which allows the contents to protrude through it, putting pressure on the spinal nerve roots (also called slipped disk, ruptured disk, herniated intervertebral disk, or herniated nucleus pulposus).

Muscular dystrophy

Group of hereditary diseases characterized by degeneration of muscle and weakness.

Myasthenia gravis

Chronic disease characterized by muscle weakness and thought to be caused by a defect in the transmission of impulses from nerve to muscle cell.  The face, larynx, and throat are frequently affected; no true paralysis of the muscles exists.

Orthopaedist

Physician who specializes in orthopedics.

Orthopedics

Branch of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of diseases and abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system.

Orthotics

Making and fitting of orthopedic appliances, such as arch supports, used to support, align, prevent, or correct deformities.

Orthotist

A person who specializes in orthotics.

Osteopath

Physician who specializes in osteopathy.

Osteopathy

System of medicine that uses the usual forms of diagnosis and treatment but places greater emphasis on the role of the relation between body organs and the musculoskeletal system; manipulation may be used in addition to other treatments.

Osteoporosis

Abnormal loss of bone density occurring frequently in postmenopausal women.

Prosthesis (pl. prostheses)

An artificial substitute for a missing body part such as a leg, eye, or total hip replacement.

Rheumatoid arthritis

A chronic systemic disease characterized by autoimmune inflammatory changes in the connective tissue throughout the body.

Abbreviations

C1-C7

cervical vertebrae

CTS

carpal tunnel syndrome

EMG

electromyogram

fx

fracture

HNP

herniated nucleus pulposus

L1-L5

lumbar vertebrae

MD

muscular dystrophy

MG

myasthenia gravis

OA

osteoarthritis

ortho

orthopedics

RA

rheumatoid arthritis

T1-T12

thoracic vertebrae