After a physical therapy session, while you may feel sore and worn out, there is no need to be confused by some of the language or terminologies that were potentially used by your physical therapist. In order to give you a guide of some of the more frequently used terms, we’ve pulled our first mini-glossary together below to give you some of the answers you may be looking for!
Abduction – A movement of a limb away from the center of the body
Adduction – A movement of a limb toward the center of the body
Cervical – Pertaining to the neck
Core – Pertaining to the trunk
Dissociation – To separate. (ie. a limb performs a movement without the other extremity doing the same movement at the same time)
Extension – A straightening of the spine or limbs
External rotation – An outward turning of a limb away from the body
Flexion – A bending or forward movement of the spine or limbs
Hyperextension – Excessive movement in the direction of extension
Internal rotation – An inward turning of a limb toward the body
Lumbar – Pertaining to the low back
Prone – Lying on the belly (face down)
Range of Motion – A measure of the amount of movement/motion available at any given joint of the body
Reflex – An involuntary response to a stimulus
Static – At rest, not in motion
Published July 18, 2016 | Posted in Portsmouth PT Blog Posts.
