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Chapter 3 The Muscular System 75
Disease/Condition Defi nition
plantar fasciitis
PLAN-ter FAS-ee-IGH-tis or
FASH-ee-IGH-TIS
plant/o = sole of the foot
-ar = pertaining to
fasci/o = fi brous band;
fascia
-itis = infl ammation
Infl ammation of the plantar fascia (the
thick band of tissue in the sole of the
foot between the heel bone and the toes),
resulting in heel pain.
quadriplegia
QUAH-drih-PLEE-jee-uh
quadri- = four
-plegia = paralysis
Paralysis of all four extremities.
rigor or rigidity
RIG-er or rih-JIH-dih-tee
Muscular stiffness/stiff muscle, as in
rigor mortis (Latin rigor = “stiffness”;
mortis = “of death”).
Stiffness that occurs in dead bodies due
to chemical changes in the muscles.
sarcopenia
SAR-koh-PEE-nee-uh
sarc/o = fl esh
-penia = defi ciency
Loss of muscle mass, strength, and
function as a result of aging.
shin splint Painful condition caused by muscle
tearing away from the tibia.
spasm Involuntary sudden movement or
convulsive muscular contraction. Such a
movement is described as spastic.
sprain The stretching or tearing of a ligament,
which connects bone to bone.
strain The stretching or tearing of a muscle
or tendon, the latter of which connects
muscle to bone; pulled muscle or pulled
tendon.
tenalgia or tenodynia
tuh-NAL-jee-uh or TEN-oh-
DIN-ee-uh
ten/o = tendon
-algia / -dynia = pain
Pain in the tendon.
tendinitis or tendonitis
TEN-dih-NIGH-tis or TEN-
duh-NIGH-tis
tendin/o, tendon/o = tendon
-itis = infl ammation
Infl ammation of a tendon.
tetany
TET-uh-nee
A state of sustained muscular
contraction.