Plain definitions of 33 terms we use on the job in Brentwood.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
Active Release Technique is a hands-on soft-tissue method that combines focused pressure with guided movement. A practitioner evaluates how muscles, tendons, fascia, and related tissues move, then applies targeted contact while the person performs a specific motion. The approach aims to address restricted tissue motion and support normal movement during care.
Also called: ART
Anterior Pelvic Tilt is a postural position in which the front of the pelvis rotates forward and the back of the pelvis rises. This position may increase the inward curve of the lower back and change how the hips, abdomen, and nearby muscles share movement and support during standing, walking, or exercise.
Also called: Swayback
Arthritis is a group of conditions that affect joints and may cause pain, stiffness, swelling, or reduced movement. Different forms can involve changes in joint cartilage, inflammation, or both. Symptoms may affect the hands, spine, hips, knees, or other joints, and their pattern can vary between people.
A bulging disc is a spinal disc that extends beyond its usual boundary as its outer layer pushes outward. The change may occur without a tear through the disc wall. A bulging disc can appear in the neck or lower back and may or may not affect nearby nerves, depending on its location and extent.
Also called: Disc Bulge
Cervical Spine is the upper section of the vertebral column that supports the head and protects the spinal cord in the neck. It includes the neck vertebrae, discs, joints, muscles, ligaments, and nerves. This region allows controlled head movement and connects the skull with the thoracic spine.
Also called: Neck Spine
Core Stability is the coordinated control of muscles around the abdomen, pelvis, spine, and hips that helps maintain trunk position during movement. It supports force transfer between the upper and lower body, improves control during physical tasks, and allows the spine to respond to changing loads without relying on one muscle group alone.
Also called: Trunk Stability
Disc Degeneration is a gradual change in the spinal discs that can reduce their water content, flexibility, and ability to cushion movement between vertebrae. The process may affect one or more spinal levels and can occur with aging, repeated stress, injury, or other factors. Some people have disc changes without symptoms.
Also called: Degenerative Disc Disease
A facet joint is a small, paired connection between the bones at the back of the spine. Each joint has smooth cartilage and a capsule that support controlled movement between neighboring vertebrae. Facet joints help guide bending and rotation while limiting excessive motion that could strain spinal structures.
Also called: Zygapophyseal Joint
Foam Roller is a cylindrical exercise tool used to apply controlled pressure to muscles and connective tissue during mobility work. A person places part of the body over the roller and moves slowly across it. The pressure may support warm-up, recovery, soft-tissue work, and movement preparation within a corrective exercise program.
Also called: Self-Myofascial Release Roller
Gait Analysis is a clinical assessment that examines how you walk, including foot placement, limb movement, balance, and weight transfer. A clinician observes walking patterns and may compare movement between both sides. The findings can help identify movement changes linked to pain, weakness, limited mobility, or recovery needs during Physical Therapy.
Also called: Walking Assessment
A herniated disc is a spinal disc injury in which the disc’s inner material pushes through a weakened or damaged outer layer. The displaced material may irritate nearby nerves, causing pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness along the back, neck, arm, or leg, depending on the affected spinal region.
Also called: Slipped Disc
A Hip Flexor is a group of muscles at the front of the hip that helps lift the thigh toward the torso and control hip movement. The main hip flexors include the iliacus, psoas major, and rectus femoris. These muscles also assist with walking, running, climbing, kicking, and changes in body position.
Also called: Hip Flexor Muscle
Joint Mobilization is a hands-on physical therapy technique that applies controlled movement to a joint and its surrounding tissues. The movement may target a specific direction or range. A clinician selects the technique based on the joint’s motion, symptoms, and response during the session. The goal is to support functional movement and guide rehabilitation.
Also called: Joint Manual Therapy
Kyphosis is an excessive outward curve of the upper spine that creates a rounded back appearance. The curve may reflect changes in spinal structure, posture, or both. Some people have no symptoms, while others notice stiffness, discomfort, reduced spinal movement, or difficulty maintaining an upright position during daily activities.
Also called: Rounded Upper Back
Lumbar Spine is the lower section of the vertebral column, located between the thoracic spine and the sacrum. It contains five vertebrae that support the trunk, guide lower-back movement, and help protect nerves traveling toward the pelvis and legs. Muscles, discs, ligaments, and joints work with these bones during daily activities.
Also called: Lower Spine
Manual Therapy is a hands-on clinical approach that uses skilled movements, pressure, stretching, or joint techniques to address restrictions in muscles, connective tissue, and joints. A trained clinician selects each technique based on the person’s movement, symptoms, and treatment goals. Manual Therapy commonly supports physical therapy and functional recovery.
Also called: Hands-On Therapy
McKenzie Method is a movement-based assessment and treatment approach used in physical therapy for spine and limb problems. The method examines how symptoms respond to repeated movements and sustained positions. Clinicians use those responses to identify a directional preference, guide exercise selection, and support patient self-management during recovery.
Also called: MDT, Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy
Myofascial Release is a hands-on massage technique that applies steady pressure and gentle movement to the fascia, the connective tissue surrounding muscles and other structures. The approach aims to reduce restrictions in tissue movement and support more comfortable motion. Practitioners may address a specific area or connected regions based on the person’s movement pattern and symptoms.
Also called: Myofascial Therapy
Nerve Compression is a condition in which pressure on a nerve disrupts normal nerve signaling. The pressure may come from a disc, narrowed spinal passage, swollen tissue, or altered joint position. Depending on the location, nerve compression may affect sensation, muscle function, or movement in an arm, leg, neck, or back.
Also called: Pinched Nerve
Plantar Fasciitis is a painful condition involving the plantar fascia, a strong band of tissue along the bottom of the foot. Pain often develops near the heel and may increase with walking, running, jumping, or prolonged standing. The condition can affect athletes, active adults, and people whose daily activities place repeated stress on the foot.
Also called: Heel Spur Syndrome
Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense joint position, movement, and force without relying on vision. Receptors in muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and skin send information to the brain. The brain uses these signals to coordinate posture, balance, movement, and muscular responses during everyday activities and exercise.
Also called: Body Position Awareness
Range of Motion is the amount and direction a joint can move through its available path. Clinicians assess movement in active and passive forms, noting whether you move the joint yourself or another person guides it. The finding can describe a normal pattern, restriction, pain-limited movement, or excessive motion.
Also called: ROM
Referred Pain is discomfort felt in a location different from the tissue or structure causing it. The nervous system can interpret signals from nearby or connected areas as coming from another body region. This pattern may occur with joint, muscle, disc, or nerve-related problems, so the painful area may not identify the original source.
Sciatica is pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness that follows the path of the sciatic nerve from the lower back through the buttock and into the leg. The condition usually reflects irritation or compression of a nerve root in the lumbar spine. Symptoms may affect one side and can vary with movement or posture.
Also called: Sciatic Nerve Pain
Scoliosis is a condition in which the spine curves sideways and may also rotate, creating an uneven spinal shape. The curve can appear in different regions of the spine and may affect posture, shoulder or hip alignment, and movement. Assessment considers the curve's location, pattern, and effect on everyday function.
Also called: Spinal Curvature
Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine that may reduce room for the spinal cord or nearby nerves. The narrowing can occur in the neck or lower back. Common causes include age-related changes, disc changes, arthritis, and thickened spinal tissues.
Also called: Lumbar Stenosis
Sprain is a ligament injury caused by a force that stretches or tears the tough bands connecting bones at a joint. Sprains often affect the ankle, knee, wrist, or other joints after a twist, fall, collision, or sudden change in direction. Severity depends on the ligament damage and joint function.
Also called: Ligament Injury
Strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon caused by overstretching or excessive force. A muscle produces movement, while a tendon connects muscle to bone. Strains commonly affect the back, neck, shoulder, hamstring, or calf and may cause localized pain, tenderness, weakness, swelling, or limited movement.
Also called: Muscle Strain
A TENS Unit is a small device that sends mild electrical impulses through adhesive electrodes placed on the skin. TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. The impulses can change how the nervous system processes pain signals and may support comfort during physical therapy. A TENS Unit does not directly repair injured tissue.
Also called: TENS Machine, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Therapeutic Ultrasound is a physical therapy modality that sends high-frequency sound waves into targeted soft tissue. A clinician applies a handheld sound head with coupling gel and moves it across the treatment area. The approach may support local tissue warming, comfort, and movement during a broader rehabilitation plan.
Also called: Ultrasound Therapy
Torticollis is a condition that causes the head to tilt toward one side while the chin turns in another direction. In infants, torticollis often relates to tightness or weakness in neck muscles. The condition can affect head movement, feeding posture, sleep positioning, and early motor development. Pediatric evaluation helps identify its pattern and contributing factors.
Also called: Wry Neck
A trigger point is a sensitive, irritable area within a taut band of muscle that may produce local tenderness or pain felt in another area. Pressure on the spot can reproduce familiar discomfort. Trigger points commonly appear after muscle overload, sustained posture, repetitive movement, or injury, and assessment considers symptoms and tissue response.
Also called: Muscle Knot
Whiplash is a neck injury caused by a sudden back-and-forth movement of the head and neck. The motion can strain muscles, ligaments, joints, and other soft tissues around the cervical spine. Whiplash often follows a rear-end vehicle collision, but similar forces can occur during other impacts or sudden movements.
Also called: Neck Sprain
The health and wellness information on this website is for general informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not create a provider-patient relationship. Always consult a qualified licensed provider in Brentwood, Tennessee, United States about your specific condition before making care decisions. Individual results vary.
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