Page 426 - Canine Lameness

398 Glossary

(Continued)

Name Definition
Flaccid paresis Paresis with decreased muscle tone (i.e. loss of muscle “power”). Flaccid paresis
is indicative of an LMN lesion; compare to spastic paresis
Flexibility Evaluation of muscle extensibility, i.e. the ability of the muscle to stretch or
passively elongate when an external manual force is applied
Ganglion Collection of nerve cell bodies in the PNS (i.e. the spinal ganglia is in the dorsal
nerve root of spinal nerves; previously called dorsal root ganglia)
General The sense of the relative position of parts of the body; muscle and joint position
proprioception and movement, tactile input from the body, limbs, and head
Goniometry Measurement of (joint) angles
Hamstrings Caudal thigh muscles originating from the ischial tuberosity, i.e. the biceps
femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus (and abductor cruris caudalis)
muscles
Hemimelia Congenital absence of a part or all of one or more bones
Horner syndrome Combination of clinical signs related to deficits in sympathetic innervation to
the eye: enophthalmos, pupillary constriction (miosis), narrowing of the
palpebral fissure (ptosis), and protrusion of the third eyelid. Partial Horner
syndrome manifests as ipsilateral miosis due to ipsilateral sympathetic
dysfunction
Intumescence Normal spinal cord enlargement (cervical and lumbar)
Isometric Unchanged length of a muscle during contraction – this happens when the
contraction force generated by the muscle matches the resistance, e.g. maintaining the joint
angle of the elbow joint during biceps contraction (such as when holding a glass
of water); compare to concentric/eccentric contraction
Junctionopathies Pathology of the neuromuscular junction
Kinematic gait The evaluation of motion throughout the complete gait cycle, frequently focused
analysis on joint angle evaluation
Kinetic gait analysis Evaluates the forces produced when an animal’s foot is in contact with the ground
Lameness In orthopedics defined as a gait abnormality; compare to neurogenic lameness
Lower Motor The neurons related to motor function that have their cell bodies in the grey
Neuron matter of the CNS (brainstem and spinal cord) and axons that exit the CNS as
nerves; in the spinal cord, this is via the ventral nerve roots to innervate skeletal
muscles of the limb, head, or trunk
Metaphysis Portion of the bone in between the epiphysis and diaphysis that contains the
physis
Mononeuropathy Disease or injury affecting a single nerve
Multiple Dysfunction of multiple (peripheral) nerves in the same limb (e.g. brachial
mononeuropathies plexus injury)
Myelopathy Spinal cord disease
Myofascial pain Muscle, sensory, motor, and autonomic nervous system symptoms caused by
syndrome stimulation of myofascial trigger points (MTPs), i.e. myalgia that is
characterized by the presence of MTPs
Myofascial trigger Discrete, focal, hyperirritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle
point
Myopathy Pathology of the muscles
Nerve A collection of axons in the PNS that is usually grossly visible; Note: since a
“nerve” by definition is part of the PNS, it is redundant to say “peripheral nerve”