Sports Medicine Glossary

ABI - The ankle-brachial index (ABI) result is used to predict the severity of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). A slight drop in your ABI with exercise means that you probably have PAD. This drop may be important, because PAD can be linked to a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.

Achilles Allograft - Use of Achilles allograft shortens surgical time, eliminates graft harvest-site morbidity, and allows for a large supply of grafts for repeat or multiple ligament procedures.

ACJ Reconstruction - ACL reconstruction is surgery to replace the ligament in the center of your knee with a new ligament. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) keeps your shin bone (tibia) in place. A tear of this ligament can cause your knee to give way during physical activity.

Anterior Tibialis Allograft - Use of Tibialis allograft shortens surgical time, eliminates graft harvest-site morbidity, and allows for a large supply of grafts for repeat or multiple ligament procedures. This graft can be fixed to the femoral and tibial bone tunnels with bioabsorbable interference screws for a hardware-free, completely endoscopic procedure.

Arthroscopic ACL Retroconstruction - Arthroscopic ACL retroconstruction has received a lot of public attention because it is used to treat well-known athletes, it is an extremely valuable tool for all orthopaedic patients and is generally easier on the patient than "open" surgery. Most patients have their arthroscopic ACL retroconstruction as outpatients and are home several hours after the surgery.

Arthroscopic All-Inside ACL Retroconstruction - An all-inside, double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament retroconstruction (all-inside ×2 technique), which is a less invasive technique because of the use of sockets (2 femoral and 2 tibial) instead of complete bone tunnels. When performed with allograft, this may be termed a “no-incision” technique.

Arthroscopic Chondroplasty – Arthroscopic Chondroplasty is commonly performed during knee arthroscopic. It is utilized for treating incidentally-found chondral lesions during surgery. It can also be utilized for small areas of superficial cartilage damage in patients that experience joint pain and have associated mechanical symptoms.

Arthroscopic Partial Lateral Meniscectomy - arthroscopic partial lateral meniscectomy is a partial knee cartilage removal on the outside of the knee.

Arthroscopic Partial Medial Meniscectomy - arthroscopic partial lateral meniscectomy is a partial knee cartilage removal on the inside of the knee.

Arthroscopic Subacromial Decompression – This shoulder operation aims to increase the size of the subacromial area and reduce the pressure on the muscle. It involves cutting the ligament and shaving away the bone spur on the acromion bone. This allows the muscle to heal.

Autologous Blood Injections - Autologous Blood Injection (ABI) is a recent medical procedure whereby a patient's blood is injected into an area of the body for the purposes of healing. It is most commonly used to treat degeneration of tendons, which may occur in association with small tears.

Autologous Conditioned Plasma - Autologous Condition Plasma (ACP), also known as Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections for the treatment of difficult chronic Tendonitis around the hand and foot as well as Tennis Elbow (Epicondylitis), Achilles Tendonitis and Patellar Tendonitis. These types of tissue have limited blood supply so they heal slowly.

Avascular Necrosis - Avascular necrosis (also osteonecrosis, bone infarction, aseptic necrosis, ischemic bone necrosis, and AVN) is a disease where there is cellular death (necrosis) of bone components due to interruption of the blood supply.

Basal Joint Arthritis – When the basal joint or CMC (carpometacarpal) joint, which is the joint at the base of the thumb wears out and starts to develop pain and stiffness arthritis will begin to set in.

Biceps Tenodesis - Biceps tenodesis is a surgical procedure performed for the treatment of tendonitis of the biceps tendon.

Biceps Tenotomy - Biceps tenotomy lets the torn bicep tendon slip out of joint--although it usually gets stuck and scars to the intertubercular groove, and there will be no visible evidence that it has been tenotomized.

Bone Patellar Tendon Bone Autograft - Reconstruction of the ACL with bone-patella tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft secured with interference screw fixation has been the historical reference standard and remains the benchmark against which other methods are gauged.

Bunion Correction - A bunion is a deformity of the big toe that can be very painful. Bunions cause the big toe to turn outward. The majority of bunions can be treated without surgery. But when non-surgical treatments are not enough, surgery can relieve your pain, correct any related foot deformity, and help you resume your normal activities. An orthopedic surgeon or podiatrist can help you decide if surgery is the best option for you.

Bursectomy - Bursectomy refers to the removal of a small bursa sac filled with synovial fluid that cushions adjacent structures and reduces friction.

Carpal Instability - Carpal instability occurs when the small bones in the wrist move out of position and compromise joint functioning. This may result when the ligaments that hold the bones together are torn or when the bones are fractured or affected by arthritis.

Concussion - A concussion may result when the head hits an object or a moving object strikes the head. A concussion can result from a fall, sports activities, and car accidents. Significant movement of the brain (jarring) in any direction can cause unconsciousness. How long a person remains unconscious may indicate the severity of the concussion.

Core Decompression - Core decompression relieves the pressure from within the injured or diseased bone. A hole is drilled then filled with tissue and, in some cases, new bone forms within this area. It may increase the blood flow to the diseased area of bone and allow new blood vessels to form. The procedure appears to slow down the disease process in most cases and may even stop its progression in others.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome - Cubital tunnel syndrome is the effect of pressure on the ulnar nerve, one of the main nerves of the hand. It can result in a variety of problems, including pain, swelling, weakness or clumsiness of the hand and tingling or numbness of the ring and small fingers. It also often results in elbow pain on the side of the arm next to the chest.

Cuff Tear Arthropathy - Cuff tear arthropathy is a devastating condition that seriously compromises the comfort and function of the shoulder. This condition is characterized by the permanent loss of the rotator cuff tendons and the normal surface of the shoulder joint.

Custom Orthotics – Custom orthotics are custom made shoes to fit your feet. They offer special support and comfort where your feet need the special design.

Distal Clavicular Coplaning - Coplaning the distal clavicle removes inferior spurs decreasing injury to the rotator cuff.

Distal Clavicular Resection - Removing the end of the clavicle closest to the acromion may help alleviate some pain and loss of motion caused by arthritis or impingement.

ESWT - Excellence Shock Wave Therapy is the non-invasive solution for conditions not helped by anti-inflammatory or immobilization devices.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy - iis a method of treatment of shoulder tendinitis, and other conditions by application of high-intensity acoustic radiation.

Femoral Neck Fracture - A femoral neck fracture occurs just below the ball of the ball-and-socket hip joint; this region is called the femoral neck. When a femoral neck fracture occurs, the ball is disconnected from the rest of the thigh bone (the femur).

Intertrochanterial fracture - Intertrochanteric hip fractures they do not have the issues with damage to blood flow to bone seen with the femoral neck fractures. Because the bone blood flow is usually in tact, these fractures can usually be repaired, and do not require the hip replacement procedure described previously.

Knee DJD - degenerative joint disease of knee is when the damaged cartilage is worn out.

Knee Scopes - Knee scopes are tiny cameras to see inside your knee. Other medical instruments may also be inserted to repair your knee.

Little Leaguer’s Elbow - Little league elbow (LLE) syndrome is a overload or overstress injury to the medial elbow that occurs as a result of repetitive throwing motions.

Metacarpals - The metacarpus is the intermediate part of the hand skeleton that is located between the bones of the fingers and the carpus which forms the connection to the forearm.

Minimally Invasive Rotator Cuff Repair - Is less disturbance of the normal shoulder musculature. A smaller incision causes less pain in the shoulder joint following surgery. The approach is less invasive and does not require splitting muscle layers in the same way that the traditional approach did. As a result the pain caused by splitting the muscle layers is decreased.

Neuromas - Neuromas is the swelling of nerves that is a result of a compression or trauma. They are often described as nerve tumors.

Open Reduction Internal Fixation - Open reduction internal fixation is a method of surgically repairing a fractured bone. Generally, this involves either the use of plates and screws or an intramedullary (IM) rod to stabilize the bone.

Orthovisc – Provides up to 6 months of knee pain relief. It is joint fluid to cushion, protect, and lubricate your knee. It is the only treatment made from ultra-pure natural hyaluronan, which is found in healthy joint fluid.

Plantar Fasciitis - Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory tissue originating on the bottom surface of the heel bone and extending along the sole of the foot towards the five toes. It is commonly associated with long periods of work-related weight bearing standing.

Platelet Rich Plasma - is a procedure where doctors inject people with their own blood, concentrated so it is mostly platelets, the tiny colorless bodies that release substances that help repair tissues.

Reverse Total Shoulder replacement - Reverse total shoulder can lessen shoulder pain and improve function in shoulders with failed surgery or combined arthritis, rotator cuff tears and instability.

Rotator Cuff Arthropathy - A condition of the shoulder that consists of arthritis associated with an irreparable rotator cuff tear. This condition usually occurs in older individuals and results in a painful shoulder with loss of motion and strength.

Salter-Harris injuries - A Salter-Harris fracture is a fracture that involves the growth plate of a bone. It is a common injury found in children.

Subacromial Bursitis - A condition caused by inflammation of the bursa that separates the superior surface of the supraspinatus tendon (one of the four tendons of the rotator cuff) from the overlying coraco-acromial ligament, acromion, coracoid (the acromial arch) and from the deep surface of the deltoid muscle. The subacromial bursa helps the motion of the supraspinatus tendon of the rotator cuff in activities such as overhead work.

Subacromial Decompression - A relatively non-invasive procedure for the treatment of Subacromial Impingement Syndrome.

Subacromial Impingement - Subacromial impingement develops if either the rotator cuff is injured or some bone deformity is present.

Tendonitis - A tendon is a tough flexible band of fibrous tissue that connects your muscles to the bones. When these tendons become inflamed, tendonitis occurs.

Tennis Elbows – Tennis elbow happens when small tears of the tendons that attach forearm muscles to the arm bone at the elbow joint.

Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome - Ulnar tunnel syndrome causes numbness and tingling in the little finger and along the outside of the ring finger.

Viscosupplementation - An injection of hyaluronic acid into the knee joint. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found in the synovial (joint) fluid. It acts as a lubricant to enable bones to move smoothly over each other and as a shock absorber for joint loads.

Nothing pleases us more than seeing our patients back in the game, whether it is playing on the field or walking with a friend. At the Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics, our game is making sure our patients achieve success. And we always like to win.