Lecture Notes
Classroom Activity to
Accompany Medical
Terminology Systems, Sixth
Edition
Barbara A. Gylys ∙ Mary Ellen Wedding
10
Musculoskeletal
System
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Structure
• Muscles
• Three types of
muscles
• Skeletal
• Smooth
• Cardiac
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Function
• Muscles
• Provide contraction that allows body
movement.
• Provide body posture.
• Help passage and elimination of food.
• Help propel blood through arteries and
other vessels.
• Provide contraction of bladder to eliminate
urine.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Structure
• Human skeleton
• Divided into axial
skeleton (bone colored)
and appendicular
skeleton (blue colored).
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Function
• Bones
• Provide a skeletal
framework to
support and protect
the body.
• Store calcium and
other minerals.
• Produce blood cells
within bone marrow.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Structure and Function Exercise
Q: What are four principal types of bones?
A: Short bones, flat bones, irregular bones, and long bones.
Q: Provide a few examples of long bones.
A: Long bones are found in the extremities of the body, such as the legs,
arms, fingers, and toes.
Q: What are the terms given to the ends of a long bone?
A: Distal epiphysis and the proximal epiphysis.
Q: Where is smooth muscle found in the body and what are its functions?
A: They are found in walls of arteries, respiratory passages, urinary and
reproductive ducts, and visceral organs. Smooth muscles are those whose
actions are involuntary.
Q: What is the function of ligaments?
A: They are flexible bands of fibrous tissue that hold bones close together at
the joint.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Fractures
Signs and Symptoms
• Acute pain at affected
site, deformity, swelling,
and discoloration.
• Loss of limb function,
muscle spasm,
hemorrhage, and shock.
• Bone protrudes through
the skin.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Fractures
Treatment
• External immobilization of affected
parts using traction, casting, or
splinting.
• Open or closed reduction may be
needed to realign bone for proper
healing.
• Analgesics or muscle relaxants to ease
the pain.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Fractures
Treatment (continued)
• Open reduction by surgery, followed by
external fixation or by internal fixation with
use of metal plates, screws, or rods.
• Closed reduction consists of manipulation
and casting without surgical incision.
• Rib fractures may require no treatment, or
the chest may be bandaged or taped for
support and pain control.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Clinically Related Exercise
Q: John is in an auto accident and presents to the ED with a broken rib piercing
his lung. This condition is documented in the medical record as a (closed,
comminuted, complicated) fracture.
A: complicated
Q: The x-ray shows the fracture as a fine crack in the bone, but both bone
segments are still connected. The radiologist transcribes it as a (Colles,
comminuted, hairline) fracture.
A: hairline
Q: The doctor explains that he will immobilize and align the bones at the site of
the hip fracture by inserting pins and screws. This type of procedure is known
as (internal fixation, osteoclasis, synovectomy).
A: internal fixation
Q: During preoperative consultation of a fracture repair, the physician describes
the complications that may result from a fracture.
A: She explains that complications include embolism, infection, delayed union or
nonunion of the fracture, and complications resulting from immobilization.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Herniated Disk
Signs and Symptoms
• Herniation of the
nucleus pulposus
(center of gelatinous
material within an
intervetebral disk)
between two vertebrae;
also called prolapsed
disk.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Herniated Disk
Signs and Symptoms (continued)
• Depend on the particular site of herniation.
• Severe back pain that worsens with motion.
• For cervical disk herniation, paresthesia and
restricted mobility of the neck.
• Coughing, sneezing, or bending will
intensify the pain and discomfort.
• Lumbar sciatic involvement begins as a dull
ache and progresses to severe pain.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Herniated Disk
Treatment
• Bed rest and alternating heat and cold applied
to the affected portion of the spine.
• Muscle relaxants, salicylate, and/or analgesics.
• Traction of lower extremities and a back brace.
• Laminectomy may be required if conservative
treatment is unsuccessful.
• Spinal fusion may be necessary to stabilize the
spine.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Clinically Related Exercise
Q: Joe presents with a sensation of numbness and a burning feeling in his
right foot. The MA charts his condition as (paraplegia, paresis,
paresthesia).
A: paresthesia
Q: Fred complains of pain emanating from his lower back that goes down to
the left leg. The doctor suspects it is a flare up of pain along the sciatic
nerve known as _______________.
A: sciatica
Q: An excision of the vertebral posterior arch to correct a herniated disk will
be performed with a surgical procedure called (dislodgement,
herniorrhaphy, laminectomy).
A: laminectomy
Q: Treatment for a herniated disk is to relieve pain, treat muscle spasms, and
relieve pressure. It includes use of weights and pulleys to immobilize the
site and facilitate healing and is known as (traction, tractotomy, tractus).
A: traction
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Signs and Symptoms
• Autoimmune
disease in which
immune system
attacks its own
cartilage and
connective tissues.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Signs and Symptoms (continued)
• Results in crippling deformities.
• Most commonly found in women
between ages 23 and 35, but can
affect people of any age group.
• Muscles, bones, and skin adjacent to
the affected joint atrophy.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Treatment
• No specific cure, but medications can
slow spread of the disease.
• Less severe cases are treated with
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs), physical therapy, and
orthopedic measures.
• Surgery may reduce pain and improve
mobility.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Clinically Related Exercise
Q: Tish has a recent diagnosis of an autoimmune disease in which the immune system
attacks its own cartilage and connective tissues. This results in crippling deformities and
causes muscles, bones, and skin adjacent to the affected joint to atrophy. This chronic
condition is known as ______________________.
A: rheumatoid arthritis
Q: The patient with a history of rheumatoid arthritis is concerned about its effects on joint
cartilage and asks the nurse for an explanation.
A: The nurse states that joint cartilage is slowly destroyed by changes associated with the
inflammatory process.
Q: Michelle’s case of rheumatoid arthritis is not severe and she presents with complaints of
mild pain. The physician recommends she take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory,
such as ibuprofen, that is commonly used to relieve mild to moderate pain and reduce
inflammation. This type of drug is known as a ________________________.
A: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)
Q: The NP is speaking to a support group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. She explains
the prognosis of RA and why it is such a crippling disease.
A: The NP explains since there is no cure for RA, the disease progresses until cartilage and
connective tissues of joints are destroyed.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Medical Vocabulary
• ankylosis
• antirheumatic
• arthodesis
• articulate
• carpoptosis
• chiropractor
• contraction
• costochondritis
• crepitation
• diaphysis
• dystrophy
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Medical Vocabulary
(continued)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
hemiplegia
herniated
intervertebral
kyphosis
laminectomy
leiomyoma
lumbosacral
myasthenia
myosarcoma
nonsteroidal
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Medical Vocabulary
(continued)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
osteoporosis
periosteum
sacroiliac
scoliosis
sequestum
spondylitis
spondylolisthesis
synovial
talipes
tendinitis
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Medical Vocabulary
(continued)
• talipes equinovarus
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Diagnostic Procedures
• Arthroscopy
• Visual examination
of interior of a joint
performed by
inserting an
endoscope through
a small incision.
• Performed to repair
and remove joint
tissue.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Diagnostic Procedures
(continued)
Myelography
• Radiography of spinal cord after injection of a
contrast medium to identify and study spinal
distortions caused by tumors, cysts, herniated
intervertebral disks, or other lesions.
• Rheumatoid factor
• Blood test to detect presence of rheumatoid
factor, a substance present in patients with
rheumatoid arthritis.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Word Building Exercise
Q: Visual examination of a joint:
A: arthroscopy
Q: Pertaining to the neck and face:
A: cervicofacial
Q: Disease of bones and joints:
A: osteoarthropathy
Q: Act of measuring the pelvis:
A: pelvimetry
Q: Suture of muscle:
A: myorrhaphy
Q: Tumor of bone marrow:
A: myeloma
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Medical and Surgical Procedures
• Total hip
arthroplasty
• Replacement of
femoral head
and acetabulum
with prostheses
that are fastened
into the bone.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Medical and Surgical Procedures
(continued)
• Amputation
• Partial or complete removal of an extremity due
to trauma or circulatory disease
• Arthrocentesis
• Puncture of a joint space using a needle to
remove accumulated fluid.
• Laminectomy
• Excision of the posterior arch of a vertebra.
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Clinically Related Exercise
Q: A 19-year-old male sustains a knee injury in a high school football game.
X-rays reveal a torn ligament. The orthopedic surgeon recommends a
procedure in which a small instrument is inserted into the joint to repair
the ligament. This procedure is known as (arthroclasis, arthroplasty,
arthoscopy).
A: arthroscopy
Q:The surgeon informs Wayne that he must undergo surgery to remove his
herniated disk. The surgery is charted as a (traction, herniorrhaphy,
laminectomy). ________________________.
A: laminectomy
Q: James sustained an injury to his upper thigh muscle when he was stabbed
in a street fight. Because of the severity of the injury, he must undergo a
surgical repair of the muscle known as _________________.
A: myoplasty
Q: Melvin has a history of arthritis that has damaged his hip joint. The doctor
recommends a surgical procedure to replace the hip. This procedure is
known as total hip _____________________________.
A: arthroplasty
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Pharmacology
• Bone reabsorption inhibitors
• Gold salts
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
NSAIDs
• Salicylates
• Skeletal muscle relaxants
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MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Clinically Related Exercise
Q: Dr. C prescribes a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug to relieve pain and
inflammation due to tendinitis. The abbreviation for this drug is ________.
A: NSAID
Q: Mary is diagnosed with osteoporosis. To inhibit further breakdown of her
bones, the physician prescribes a (bone reabsorption inhibitor, gold salt,
salicylate).
A: bone reabsorption inhibitor
Q: Joanne complains of morning pain and stiffness in her joints caused by
arthritis. The doctor prescribes a (bone reabsorption inhibitor, skeletal
muscle relaxant, salicylate).
A: salicylate
Q: John suffers from muscle spasms in his back due to an old sports injury. To
relieve this pain, the physician prescribes a (bone reabsorption inhibitor,
gold salt, muscle relaxant).
A: muscle relaxant
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