SCI Home Page  |  Basic Understanding  | Functional Ability Chart

Glossary of Terms
  

The following terms are commonly used by health care workers and in reading and audiovisual educational materials. Since many of these terms are used on the educational materials supplied on our website, we are including this list for your convenience in using our website and to increase your understanding of your rehabilitation program.
  

ADL - Activities of Daily Living. Those skills required for self-care, such as personal hygiene, feeding, dressing, grooming, toileting, etc.
Adaptive Equipment - Ordinarily used items such as spoons, razors, toothbrushes, cups,, combs, etc., that have been changed in some way so that a person with a disability can use them.
A.F.O. - Ankle-Foot Orthosis (short-leg brace). Leg support that fits the leg from below the knee to the ankle and attaches to the shoe.
Ambulate - To walk, with or without the aid of special equipment.
Assistive Devices - Special equipment used to aid in doing things such as walking and dressing (reachers, canes, walkers,, wheelchairs, etc.)
Bladder Training - Individualized program of bladder re-education with a goal of being as catheter free as possible.
Bowel Program - Establishment of a "habit pattern" or a specific time to empty the bowel so that regularity can be achieved.
Brace - See A.F.O. (short-leg) and K.A.F.O. (long-leg).
Catheter - Specially designed rubber tube which is placed in the bladder to drain urine out of the body. A substitute for normal urination.
Continence - Able to control bladder function, bowel function, or both.
Contracture - Any body joint which has become stiffened to the point where it can no longer be moved through it normal range of motion.
Crede - Externally applied pressure to the lower abdomen over the bladder in an effort to push urine out of the bladder.
Decubitus Ulcer - See pressure sore.
Digital Stimulation - A technique used in establishing a bowel program. It involves stretching the rectum which will trigger a reflex to stimulate bowel elimination. (It can also be successful in stimulating the bladder to empty.)
Dil - Another term for digital stimulation.
DIP Joint - Refers to the most distant joint of the finger.
Edema - Swelling.
Excoriation - Skin irritation and breakdown.
Extension - A motion that causes a muscle to lengthen.
Fecal Impaction - Obstruction or overloading of the bowels with feces (intestinal contents.)
Flaccid - A lack of muscle tone, accompanied by atrophy and weakness.
Flexion - A motion that causes a muscle to shorten. (Generally a bending motion.)
Function - Ability to perform work or activity.
Gait Training - Instruction in walking, with or without such equipment as crutches and braces.
Generic Name - The same drug or product that is manufactured by several companies under different trade names. It may be less expensive that the trade name.
G.U. - Genito-urinary - Refers generally to the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and sex organs.
Hand Splint - Support for hand, wrist, and/or fingers. Used to give greater function to a disabled hand.
Hemiparesis - Weakness on one side.
Heminlecia - Paralvsis on one side.
Incontinent - Unable to control bladder function, bowel function, or both.
Involuntary - Same as incontinent.
I.P. Joint - Refers to the middle joint of the finger.
K.A.F.O. - Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (long-leg brace). Leg support that fits entire leg from thigh to ankle and attaches to shoe.
Leg Bag - Rubber or plastic container which is strapped to the leg for collection of urine.
M.C.P. Joint - Refers to the knuckle of the hand.
Mobile Arm Support - Equipment used to help a person with weak shoulders to move his arms.
Necrosis - Cell death.
Neurogenic - Any condition that has its cause in the nervous system.
Overhead Sling - Arm support which attaches to a bar fastened to the wheelchair or to an overhead frame.
Para - Paraplegic - A person who has paralysis of trunk and/or legs with normal arm use.
Peristalsis - A progressive, wavelike movement which occurs involuntarily in hollow tubes of the body, especially noted in the intestines, but also in present in the ureters.
Positioning - Placing the body, whether in bed or wheelchair, in such a way as to best prevent fatigue and the development of contractures or pressure sores. Involves a regularly scheduled change of position.
Pressure Sore - Any break in the skin caused by prolonged pressure (as from bed, wheelchair, brace, etc.), by a burn, or by a bruise. Also called decubitus ulcer, bed sore, etc.
P.R.E. - Progressive Resistive Exercise. Exercises designed to strengthen the muscles by means of increasing resistance and a specified pattern of repetition, for example, weight lifting.
Prone - To lie flat on one's stomach.
Quad - Quadriplegic. - Person whose legs, arms, and trunk are partially or totally paralyzed.
R.O.M. - Range of Motion - The normal range of movement of any body joint. Exercises are designed to maintain this normal range and prevent contractures. A.R.O.M. active range of motion, P.R.O.M. - passive range of motion.
Re-education (muscle) - Learning how to use a muscle again after its function has been temporarily lost.
Spasm - A sudden, often uncontrollable, contraction of a muscle (muscle jerk).
Spasticity - A state of increase over the normal tension of a muscle resulting in continuous increase of resistance of stretching.
Spontaneous Voiding - A voiding that is not controlled or self-stimulated.
Stones - Solidified (hardened) masses of once-fluid mineral particles which can lodge themselves in the urinary tract and block drainage of urine from kidney or bladder. (Also called calculi.)
Supine - Lying on back.
Trade Name - The brand name of a product.
Transfer - Movement from one place to another, as from bed to wheelchair, wheelchair to toilet, wheelchair to car, etc. May be done from a sitting or standing position.
Trigger - A technique used in bladder training. It consists of finding a "trigger" point in which a reflex can be stimulated to cause the bladder to empty.
Tilt Table - Board on which a person is securely strapped and slowly raised to an upright position to make the transition from lying in bed to sitting or standing easier and more comfortable. (Also called "standing board".)
Voiding - To empty or evacuate the contents of the bladder or bowels.
Wheelchair Arm Trough - An arm support which attaches to the wheelchair arm rest to support the affected arm.
Wheelchair Lift, Weight Shifts, or Pushup - To lift the body up from the seat of the wheelchair in order to relieve pressure on the buttocks, should be done every 15 minutes.