Abduction — The movement of a limb coming away from the midline of the body.
Adduction — The movement of a limb coming towards the midline of the body.
Achilles Tendon — A strong tendon at the back of the heel that connects the calf muscle to the heel bone.
ADHD — Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive.
ADLs — Activities of Daily Living - self-care tasks an individual does on a day-to-day basis.
AFOs — Ankle Foot Orthosis – an external brace used to improve mobility and physical functioning of an affected lower limb.
AO1 — Assistance of 1 – one person is required to assist the patient completing the activity.
AAROM — Active Assisted Range of Movement – the extent of movement that can be achieved when a person is actively trying to move their joint whilst receiving partial assistance from an external support.
AROM — Active Range of Movement – the extent of movement that can be achieved when a person is actively trying to move their joint.
ASD — Autism Spectrum Disorder – a neurodevelopment condition that affects the way a person communicates, interacts socially and processes information.

Balance — The body’s ability to maintain its line of gravity within its base of support.
Baseline — An individual’s typical state of being which can be used to measure changes/improvements with interventions.
Beighton’s score — A test that measures joint hypermobility through simple manoeuvres on a 9-point scoring system.
Block session — A group of sessions that are completed within a close time frame (i.e. 6 block sessions may be complete 1x a week for 6 weeks).
BOS — Base of Support - The area beneath your body that makes contact with the ground and supports your weight (i.e. when standing, the space between your feet is your base of support).

CAMHS — Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services – a healthcare profession that specialises in the mental health and emotional well-being of children and young people, typically up to the age of 18.
Cartilage — A flexible, resilient connective tissue found in various parts of the human body which provides structural support, cushioning and smooth movement in joints.
Cerebral Palsy — A brain disorder that appears in infancy or early childhood and permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination. “Cerebral” = the brain, “Palsy” = problems with movement.
Charcot Marie Tooth Disease (CMT) — A group of inherited, progressive conditions that damage the peripheral nerves causing gradual muscle weakness, changes in gait and numbness in the feet, arms and hands.
Concentric — A muscle contraction where the muscle gets shorter (i.e. the bicep during a bicep curl).
CPIP — Cerebral Palsy Integrated Pathway – A standardised assessment for children with Cerebral Palsy that monitors changes in their joints and muscles to aid treatment plans.
Crutches — A type of walking aid, used to increase support while trying to mobilise.
CT scan — Computed Tomography Scan – a medical imaging technique used to obtain detailed internal images of the body.

Eccentric — A term that describes the contraction of a muscle where the muscle lengthens while generating force. 
EDS — Ehlers Danlos Syndrome – A group of heredity conditions that causes abnormalities with collagen production. Typical presentation includes easy bruising, wide scars, joint laxity and overly stretchy skin.
Erbs Palsy — A condition caused by an injury to the brachial plexus (bundle of nerves) during birth. This occurs when the nerves are stretched or ruptured, causing a level of paralysis in the arm which presents as muscle weakness/loss of muscle function. The condition is also referred to as “Brachial Plexus Paralysis”.
Eversion — The ankle rotating outwards whereby the underside of the foot turns outwards and up.
Extension — The straightening of a joint, i.e. knee extension describes when you move from a bent knee to a straight knee.

Flexibility — The range of motion available around a joint.
Flexion — The bending of a joint, i.e. knee flexion described when you move from a straight knee to a bent knee.
Fracture — A partial or complete break in the bone.
FROM — Full Range of Movement – a joint that is not restricted by tightness.

Gait — A person’s walking pattern.
GDD — Global Developmental Delay – A term used to describe a child under 5 years old, that is significantly delayed in two or more developmental areas. These areas include speech, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, cognitive skills, and social/emotional/behavioural development.
GMFCS — Gross Motor Function Classification System – A tool used to measure the level of mobility and gross motor skills in people with Cerebral Palsy.
Goniometer — A tool that measure the range of movement at joints.
Growth spurts — A rapid increase in a child’s height that occur during specific developmental periods. Growth spurts are closely linked to a child’s milestones, motor skills refinement and the onset of puberty.

Hammer toes — A deformity of the second, third or fourth toe whereby it is bent at the middle joint. This is caused by the muscles and ligaments of the foot becoming tight or unbalanced, which can be permanent if left untreated.
Hamstrings — A group of 3 large muscles in the back of the thigh that help to flex the knee and extend the hip. These muscles are called the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus.
High intensity sports — Sports that involve repetitive explosive movements such as jumping, sprinting or twisting, which put increased stress on the joints. Such sports include football, basketball, rugby etc.
Hyperextension — When a joint can straighten beyond its normal range of movement. This can occur at various joints including the elbow, knee and spine.
Hypermobility — A diagnosed condition, whereby the individual has increased range of movement in multiple joints and tests positive in the Beighton’s test.
Hypertonia — A term describing increased muscle tone, causing stiffness and a resistance to movement.
Hypotonia — A term describing reduced muscle tone, causing muscles to be more relaxed than normal and present as “floppy”.

JA — Juvenile Arthritis – a term used to describe a group of paediatric inflammatory joint conditions that persist for 6 weeks or longer.

KAFO — Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis - an external brace extending from the thigh to the foot, with metal uprights along the sides, to help maintain alignment and provided stability to the affected lower limb. 
Keloids — A type of scar on the surface of the skin, made up by a specific type of collagen. They are characterised by their raised and thick appearance and can extend beyond the boundaries of the original wound.
Knock Knees — A term used to describe when a person’s knees turn inwards and touch against each other when their ankles are apart. This is a common stance for children between the ages of 2-5 years. This is also referred to as “Genu Valgum”.

Lateral — A term referring to the side of the body, or a body part that is more on the outside than another body part. I.e. your Pinky toe is on the lateral side of your foot and is more lateral than your big toe.
Laxity — A term that refers to structures, such as the ligaments in your joint, being a bit loose which allows the joint to bend more than normal.
Ligament — A band of tissue that connects bones together at a joint and supports internal organs.
Low intensity sports — Sports that do not involve repetitive explosive movements such as jumping, sprinting or twisting and therefore do not put lots of stress on the joints. Such sports include swimming, cycling, yoga etc.
Lycra — A highly elastic synthetic fabric used to create custom made tops, shorts or body suits, to provide additional sensory/proprioceptive feedback for children with certain neurological conditions.

MDT — Multi-Disciplinary Team – a term referring to a group of healthcare professionals from different departments, working together to make collective decisions regarding a patients’ treatment plan.
Medial — A term referring to the side of the body, or a body part that is closer to the middle of your body than another body part. I.e. your big toe is on the medial side of your foot and is more medial than your Pinky toe.
Meniscus — A crescent shaped piece of cartilage in your knee joint between your thigh bone and shin bone. It plays an important role in shock absorption, load distribution and joint stability.
MRI — Magnetic Resonance Imaging – a scan that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body.
MSK — Musculoskeletal – A human body system made up of muscles, bones, joints and connective tissue, which is controlled by our nervous system and allows the body to move by providing stability and protection.

NG tube — Nasogastric tube – a flexible plastic tube that is inserted through the nose and runs down into the stomach for feeding or medication administration.
Night splints — An external brace typically worn for several hours during sleep, that provides a prolonged gradual stretch to the muscles and tendons in the foot/ankle to relieve tightness.
NSAIDs — Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs – medications that help to reduce pain and inflammation, and are typically prescribed for managing conditions such as arthritis, bursitis and tendinitis.
Nystagmus — A condition defined by rapid and rhythmic, abnormal eye movements. These movements can reduce vision, and affect depth perception, balance and co-ordination.

Orthopaedics — A department that focuses on treating conditions within the musculoskeletal (MSK) system.
Orthotics — A department that focuses on the design and application of Orthoses such as splints, braces or insoles to help provide additional stability and improve alignment.
OSD — Osgood Schlatter’s Disease – A common paediatric condition that causes pain in the front of the knee due to inflammation of the patella tendon as it rubs over the tibial tuberosity (a bony bump on the shin bone).
OT — Occupational Therapy – A healthcare profession that focuses on helping people overcome physical, emotional and social challenges, to improve their ability to perform ADL’s.
Out-toeing — When an individual walks or runs with their feet turned outwards. This is a common gait pattern for young children and usually resolves by age 2.
Over pronation — A term that refers to the foot rolling inwards as you walk. This is common in people with flat feet and appears as though the inner ankle bone is closer to the ground then your outer ankle bone.

Quadriceps  — A group of 4 muscles in the front of the thigh that help to stabilise and extend the knee, as well as assist in flexing the hip. These muscles are called the rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius.
Quad sticks — A type of walking aid that has a four-point base to help improve stability. 

Regression — A gradual loss of function by a body part.
ROM — Range of Movement - the extent of movement that can be achieved when a joint.

SALT — Speech and Language Therapy – a healthcare profession that provides treatment and support for individuals that have difficulties with speech, language, communication, eating, drinking and swallowing.
Scoliosis — A condition characterised by a sideways curve in the spine.
Severs Disease — A common paediatric condition that causes pain in the heel of the foot. This is due to inflammation of the growth plate, caused by tightness in the Achilles tendon which pulls on the bone during activity. It is also referred to as “Calcaneal Apophysitis”.
Sleep system — A positioning aid that provides support to keep an individual properly aligned whilst they sleep, to reduce the risk of developing contractures or skeletal deformities.
Spasticity — A motor disorder, most commonly caused by damage to the nerves in the brain or spinal cord, which causes increased muscle tone and reflexes. This results in the individual being very stiff, particularly when trying to complete quick movements and is most commonly seen in conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis or Stroke.
Splints — A term used to describe a rigid or flexible device that provides additional support and/or immobilises a joint, by holding it in an optimised position to allow for healing, stretching and better function.
Sprain — A term used to describe a soft tissue injury to a ligament within a joint, whereby it has been overstretched or torn by a sudden force. This usually results in pain, swelling and limited mobility at the joint, and should be initially treated using rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE method).
Standing frame — An assistive technology that is typically used by those reliant on wheelchairs for mobility. It is a solid frame with padding that a person can be strapped on to, to allow them to weight bear through their legs and feet in an upright position (please see the specialist equipment page for examples).
Strain — A term used to describe a soft tissue injury to a muscle or tendon, whereby it has been overstretched or torn due to excessive mechanical stress or overuse. This usually results in pain, swelling, bruising and weakness of the muscle or tendon, and should be initially treated using protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation (PRICE method).
Stretch — A sensation that occurs when you are actively elongating your muscles through a series of gentle movements. A stretch can be perceived in many ways, from mild discomfort to a feeling of relief and is mostly commonly described as a pulling sensation.
Supination — A term referring to the rotational movement of the forearm or ankle, that results in the palms facing upwards or foot rolling out, so the outer ankle bone is closer to the ground.

Talipes — A condition present at birth which causes baby’s foot to be pointed inwards and downwards due to shortened tendons in the ankle. This condition is also known as “Club Foot” and depending on its severity, may resolve on its own, or may require input from a healthcare professional. 
Tendon — A band of tissue that connects muscles to bones and allows for movement of the limbs, whilst also absorbing impact during activities to protect the muscles/joints from injury.
TheraBand — A type of elastic resistance band, used during strength training to help build strength and stability of muscles.
Tone — A term describing the residual tension in a relaxed muscle. A person with excessive tone is described as having hypertonia, whilst a person with reduced tone is described as having hypotonia.
Tracheostomy — A surgically created opening in the windpipe (trachea) that allows air to pass into the lungs through a tube, when normal breathing is obstructed or reduced.
Tripod Stick — A type of walking aid that has a three-point base to help improve stability.  

U/S — Ultrasound – A type of non-invasive diagnostic test, that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the inside of the body. It is also known as a sonography. 

Valgus — A term used to describe when a part of the body is turned outward, away from the middle of the body. I.e. if a person has knock knees, their feet are apart from each other, even when their knees are together. 
Varus — A term used to describe when a part of the body is turned inwards, towards the middle of the body. I.e. if a person is bow-legged, their knees are apart from each other, even when their feet are together.
Visual field — The area of space you can see around you when your eyes are fixed on one point.
VMO — Vastus Medialis Oblique – A specific portion of the vastus medialis muscle in the thigh which helps to stabilise the kneecap and control its movement during flexion and extension.

Walking frame — A mobility aid that assists someone that is less/unable to stand on their own, to be able to walk (please see the specialist equipment page for examples).
Wobble cushion — A small, round inflatable cushion designed to create an unstable surface when stood or sat on, to challenge balance.
W Sitting — A common sitting position for young children, whereby they sit on their bottoms with their knees bent and lower legs turned out to the side, so their feet are either side of their bottom. This position is discouraged by health professionals as sitting in this position for a prolonged period can lead to issues with hip and knee alignment.

XRAY — A type of medical imaging that uses high energy electromagnetic radiation to take pictures of the inside of your body, specifically bones.

Yoga — A type of exercise that aims to connect the mind, body and soul through a series of low intensity physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, promoting overall well-being and self-discovery.

Zumba — A high-energy fitness programme that combines various styles of dance with cardio exercise moves to improve your cardiovascular fitness.