Glossary

Acupuncture – A health therapy technique that simulates specific points of the body by inserting extremely fine needles.

Acute pain – A pain that is short lasting.

Bursitis – When the fluid filled sacs that are positioned over joints, called bursa, become swollen and inflamed.

Chiropractor – A practitioner of the area of medicine that treats the misalignment of joints.

Coccyx – A small triangular bone at the base of the spinal column.

Chronic – A pain that is long-lasting, generally considered to be in excess of 6 months.

Golfers elbow- A pain caused by inflammation of the tendons that connect the forearm to the elbow.

Hot rock therapy – Heated rocks are placed along specific areas of the body to soothe tired sore muscles and stimulate circulation.

Ligaments – Fibrous tissue that connect bones or cartilages together.

Lumbar – Refers to the five lumbar vertebrae. Generally regarded as the lower part of the back.

Lordosis – Excessive curvature of the spine.

Migraine – A severe headache with a throbbing sensation on one side of the head

Massage –  The rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints to relieve tension or pain.

Nerve – A group of fibres in the body that send impulses to the brain or spinal cord.

Posture – The position and shape that someone holds their body in.

Podiatry – The care and treatment of the human foot.

Pilates – Exercises and stretches that are designed to strengthen the core muscles of the torso.

Scoliosis – A medical term that refers to spinal curvatures. Scoliosis is a condition that almost always begins in early childhood. And it is exceedingly rare. In fact, only about 5 out of 1,000.

Spinal column – The collective term for the bones of your back. It acts as protection for the spinal cord and allows the body to flex and bend in various directions.

Tendons – Flexible cords of collagen that attaches tissues to the bone.

Vertebrae – A series of small bones that form the backbone.

Whiplash – An injury caused to the neck by a severe jolt-like movement.