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Sports medicine Glossary
Rotator Cuff: Comprised of four muscles in the shoulder
area that can be irritated by overuse. The muscles are the
supraspinatus (most commonly injured), infraspinatus,
teres minor and subscapularis.
Sacroiliac: Junction of the sacrum, the lower back
bone, with the pelvis.
Sacrum: Group of five fused vertebrae located just
below the lumbar vertebrae of the lower back, which form
part of the pelvis.
Scapula: Shoulder blade.
Sciatica: Irritation of the sciatic nerve resulting in pain or
tingling running down the inside of the leg.
Sciatic Nerve: Major nerve that carries impulses for
muscular action and sensations between the low back
and thigh and lower leg; it is the longest nerve in the body.
Shin Splint: A catch all syndrome describing pain in the
shin that is not a fracture or tumor and cannot be defined
otherwise.
Spleen: Large, solid organ responsible for the normal
production and destruction of blood cells located under
the left rib cage.
Spondylosis: Abnormal vertebral fixation or immobility,
or a general term for arthritis of the spine.
Sports Hernia (previously known as a hockey
hernia): Not a true tear, or hole, in the abdominal lining,
but rather a weakened, possibly inflamed, area in the
lower abdominal region from repetitive use of powerful
lower abdominal and groin muscles. Seen especially in
athletes engaged in ice hockey, soccer or football.
Sprain: Injury resulting from the stretching or twisting
of the joint and causes various degrees of stretching or
tearing of a ligament or other soft tissue at the joint.
Sternoclavicular joint: The joint where the collar
bone meets the breast bone.
Sternum: The breast bone.
Stinger: Same as a “burner”.
Strain: Injury resulting from a pulling or torsion to
the muscle or tendon that causes various degrees of
stretching or tearing to the muscle or tendon tissue.
Stress Fracture: A hair line type of break in a bone.
Caused by overuse.
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage: A broken blood
vessel over the white of the eye. Does not affect vision.
Subluxation: Partial dislocation of a joint. The term
usually implies that the joint can return to a normal
position without formal reduction.
Sulfa Antibiotics: A group of medications used to
treat bacterial illnesses. Used as one of the first choices
against MRSA.
Synovial Fluid: Lubricating fluid for joints and tendons,
produced in synovium, or the inner lining of a joint.
Synovitis: Inflammation of the synovial lining of a joint.
Talus: The ankle bone that articulates with the tibia and
fibula to form the ankle joint.
Tarsals: Group of seven bones of the foot consisting of
the calnavicular, talus, cuboid and three cuneiform bones.
Tendinitis: Inflammation of the tendon and/or tendon
sheath, caused by chronic overuse or sudden injury.
Tendon: Tissue that connects muscle to bone.
Tenosynovitis: Swelling or inflammation of a tendon
sheath caused by calcium deposits, repeated strain or
trauma.
Tibia: Shin bone; larger of the two bones of the lower leg
and is the weight bearing bone of the shin.
Tissue glue: A substance similar to “Crazy glue” that
can be used instead of sutures or staples to close simple
cuts to the skin.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator
(TENS): An electrical modality that sends a mild current
through pads at the injury site which stimulates the brain
to release the natural analgesic endorphin.
Transverse Process: Small lateral projection off the
right and left side of each vertebrae that functions as an
attachment site for muscles and ligaments of the spine.
Triceps: Muscle of the back of the upper arm, primarily
responsible for extending the elbow.
Ulna: Inner bone of the forearm that runs from the tip of
the elbow to the little finger side of the wrist.
Ulnar Nerve: Nerve in the elbow commonly irritated
from excessive throwing.
Ultrasound: An electrical modality that transmits a
sound wave through an applicator into the skin to the
soft tissue in order to heat the local area for relaxing the
injured tissue and/or disperse edema…Also a type of
imaging study for certain body areas.
V O2 max: A measure of aerobic fitness, measuring the
maximal uptake of oxygen a person can achieve with
exercise.
Vertebra: The bones that make the spinal column.
Divided into cervical (neck), thoracic (chest) and lumbar
(low back) regions.
Vertigo: Dizziness with a sensation of the world spinning
around a person. Can be caused by trauma, viral illnesses,
or occurs spontaneously.
“Wind Knocked Out”: Syndrome describing a
contraction of the abdominal nerve truck, the solar plexus,
as a result of an abdominal contusion.
Zygoma: The cheek bone.
Edited by Dr. Gary W. Dorshimer and Flyers Athletic
Trainer & Strength and Conditioning Coach Jim
McCrossin
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