Understand the language of sports injuries and recovery. Clear definitions, clinical context and reliable sources, from anatomy to treatment.
60 terms
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a crucial fibrous band in the center of the knee joint connecting the femur to the tibia, functioning primarily to restrain anterior tibial translation and control rotational stability.
Meniscus
The meniscus is a specialized crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure situated between the femoral condyle and tibial plateau in the knee (comprising the medial and lateral meniscus), acting as a vital shock absorber, load distributor, joint lubricator, and secondary stabilizer.
Rotator cuff
The rotator cuff is a dynamic functional complex comprising the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis muscles and their confluent tendinous insertions encapsulating the humeral head, stabilizing it within the glenoid fossa (concavity-compression) during arm elevation and rotation.
Glenoid labrum
The glenoid labrum is a specialized ring of dense fibrocartilage attached circumferentially around the rim of the glenoid fossa, effectively deepening the shallow socket by up to 50% and serving as the essential anchor for the glenohumeral capsuloligamentous complex and the long head of the biceps tendon.
Articular cartilage
Articular cartilage is a highly specialized, aneural, avascular, and alymphatic layer of hyaline cartilage covering the epiphyseal bone surfaces of synovial joints, measuring 2-4 mm in thickness, providing a nearly frictionless gliding interface and dynamic viscoelastic shock absorption.
Tendinopathy
Tendinopathy is a clinical problem of load-related tendon pain and impaired function, sometimes accompanied by structural changes and involving multiple biological processes.
Stress fracture
A stress fracture is a microscopic focal cortical disruption or complete structural break in bone resulting from the cumulative accumulation of repetitive, submaximal mechanical loads that outpace normal osteoclast-osteoblast bone remodeling and repair capacity, predominantly involving weight-bearing bones of the lower extremity.
Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is an advanced minimally invasive surgical procedure in which a high-definition endoscope (arthroscope) and specialized micro-instruments are introduced into a joint cavity through tiny 0.5 cm portal incisions, enabling panoramic magnified visualization, dynamic mechanical probing, and definitive surgical treatment.
Platelet-rich plasma
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a platelet concentrate prepared from the patient’s blood; composition varies with the preparation method.
Proprioception
Proprioception is the specialized neurophysiological capacity of the central nervous system to sense dynamic joint position, movement trajectory, force output, and limb velocity in space, transduced through mechanoreceptors located within muscles (muscle spindles), tendons (Golgi tendon organs), joint capsules, and ligaments (Ruffini endings, Pacinian corpuscles).
Ankle sprain
An ankle sprain stretches or tears stabilizing ligaments, commonly on the outer ankle.
Patellofemoral pain
Pain around or behind the kneecap, commonly during loaded knee bending.
Lateral epicondylitis
Lateral epicondylitis is painful tendinopathy at the outer elbow wrist-extensor attachment.
Adhesive capsulitis
Adhesive capsulitis causes shoulder pain and restricted active and passive motion.
Achilles tendinopathy
Load-related Achilles pain and reduced function affect the midportion or heel attachment.
Medial collateral ligament injury
An MCL injury stretches or tears the ligament stabilizing the inner knee.
Posterior cruciate ligament injury
The PCL restrains backward tibial movement; injury can cause posterior laxity.
Shoulder dislocation
The humeral head leaves its socket, sometimes injuring the labrum, ligaments, bone or nerves.
Hip muscle strain
A hip strain damages a supporting muscle or tendon through excessive stretch or force.
Plantar fasciitis
Pain at the plantar fascia attachment under the heel is commonly associated with repeated loading.
Hamstring strain
An injury to posterior thigh muscle or tendon ranges from minor fiber damage to complete tearing.
Femoroacetabular impingement
Symptomatic contact related to hip bone shape can affect the labrum and cartilage.
Patellar instability
The kneecap fails to remain stable in the femoral groove and may subluxate or dislocate.
Osteochondritis dissecans
A localized subchondral bone lesion can destabilize or detach overlying cartilage and bone.
Osgood-Schlatter disease
Traction-related pain affects the patellar tendon attachment at the tibial tubercle during growth.
Achilles tendon rupture
Partial or complete tearing of the calf-to-heel tendon weakens push-off.
Patellar tendon tear
Tearing of the kneecap-to-tibia tendon can interrupt active knee extension.
Quadriceps tendon tear
The tendon connecting the front thigh muscles to the kneecap tears, potentially disabling active extension.
Proximal biceps tendon tear
A tear at the shoulder attachment commonly involves the long head of biceps.
Trochanteric bursitis
Irritation of a bursa near the greater trochanter can cause lateral hip pain.
Lisfranc injury
Injury to the midfoot tarsometatarsal ligament-joint complex, sometimes with fracture or dislocation.
Scaphoid fracture
A break in the wrist scaphoid, often after a fall onto an outstretched hand.
Triangular fibrocartilage complex injury
Damage to the ulnar wrist cartilage-ligament complex that supports load transfer and distal radioulnar stability.
Elbow ulnar collateral ligament injury
Sprain or tear of the ligament resisting valgus stress at the medial elbow.
Ankle syndesmosis injury
Injury of the ligament complex joining tibia and fibula above the ankle, called a high ankle sprain.
Spondylolysis
A bony defect of the pars interarticularis, sometimes related to repetitive bone stress.
De Quervain's tenosynovitis
Painful irritation and thickening around thumb tendons in the wrist's first dorsal compartment.
Cubital tunnel syndrome
Ulnar nerve compression or irritation at the elbow causing sensory or motor symptoms.
Morton's neuroma
Thickening around a forefoot interdigital nerve, commonly between the third and fourth toes.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Symptoms caused by tibial nerve or branch compression in the medial ankle tunnel.
Chronic exertional compartment syndrome
Recurring exercise pain and tightness associated with elevated muscle-compartment pressure.
Iliotibial band syndrome
Activity-related lateral knee pain associated with irritation around the iliotibial band.
Calcific rotator cuff tendinopathy
Calcium deposits in rotator cuff tendons, which may be silent or cause substantial pain.
Baker's cyst
A fluid-filled swelling behind the knee, often associated with intra-articular disease in adults.
Sport-related concussion
Traumatic brain dysfunction after force to the head or body transmits to the brain during sport.
Superior labral anterior-to-posterior lesion
Injury of the superior shoulder labrum around the long-head biceps attachment; patterns range from fraying to unstable detachment.
Acromioclavicular joint separation
Ligament injury destabilizing the joint between distal clavicle and acromion; severe cases involve coracoclavicular ligaments. It differs from glenohumeral dislocation.
Distal biceps tendon rupture
Partial or complete disruption of the tendon attaching biceps to the radial tuberosity, affecting supination and elbow-flexion strength.
Distal triceps tendon rupture
Partial or complete tearing where triceps attaches to the olecranon, impairing elbow extension and pushing.
Mallet finger
Disruption of the terminal extensor attachment, sometimes with a bone fragment, causing loss of active distal interphalangeal extension.
Jersey finger
Avulsion of the deep flexor tendon from the distal phalanx, with or without bone, eliminating active fingertip flexion.
Thumb ulnar collateral ligament injury
Sprain or rupture of the ulnar stabilizing ligament at the thumb MCP joint, impairing pinch. A displaced complete tear may form a Stener lesion.
Peroneal tendon instability
Abnormal movement of the peroneal tendons within or out of the groove behind the lateral malleolus, often involving the superior retinaculum.
Osteochondral lesion of the talus
Focal injury of talar articular cartilage and underlying bone, sometimes with a fragment, subchondral cyst or marrow edema.
Jones fracture
A fracture at the proximal fifth-metatarsal metaphyseal-diaphyseal junction, typically reaching the fourth-fifth intermetatarsal articulation; distinct from a tuberosity avulsion.
Accessory navicular syndrome
Pain around an accessory bone beside the medial navicular, its connection or the posterior tibial tendon; a symptomatic anatomical variant.
Tarsal coalition
An abnormal bony, cartilaginous or fibrous connection between tarsal bones, commonly calcaneonavicular or talocalcaneal, restricting hindfoot movement.
Hallux rigidus
Degeneration of the first metatarsophalangeal joint with cartilage loss, osteophytes and restricted motion, often painful during toe extension and push-off.
Meniscal root tear
Avulsion of a meniscal bony attachment or an adjacent radial tear, disrupting hoop-load transmission and potentially causing extrusion and elevated contact pressure.
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
Impaired health and performance from prolonged or severe low energy availability, affecting bone, reproduction, metabolism, immunity and psychological health across sexes and body sizes.
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Educational clinical definitions synthesized from AAOS, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, and HSS. Individual diagnosis and surgery require professional medical evaluation.