Medical dictionary

What are spinal injections? Your spine is made of various bones called vertebrae. These are connected to one another and allow your spine to move, they also protect the nerves and spinal cord. These interconnections are made up of intervertebral discs (they act as a spine’s shock absorbing system) and facet joints (these connect the vertebrae to one another). Due to many reasons, t

What is spinal arthritis (or spinal osteoarthritis)?Spinal arthritis is a degenerative disease affecting the cartilage of the intervertebral discs, which become less elastic and are no longer able to absorb the impacts caused by body movements. Spinal arthritis may affect the neck (cervical arthritis) or lower back (lumbar arthritis). Spinal arthiritis should be seen by an orthopaedic surgeon.Ther

What is spinal stenosis? Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the small spaces in between your spine which puts pressure on the nerves that travel through the spinal cord. It typically occurs due to ageing but older people are not the only ones who risk suffering from spinal stenosis. There are two different types of spinal stenosis, depending on the part of the spine where the condition occurs.

What is spinal surgery? Spinal surgery consists of performing surgery to correct possible structural abnormalities. Back injuries, and more specifically those of the spine, have become a problem that is affecting more and more people around the world. The passing of the years, accidents, overexertion and bad posture in everyday life are the causes of the problem. Spine surgery allows

What is a spinal fracture? A spinal fracture is a break or collapse of one of the bones of the spinal column. It is a serious lesion. A fracture can occur in any part of the spinal column. Generally, spinal fractures are divided into three categories: Compression fractures: Occur when more pressure is put on a bone than it can withstand, causing it to break.   Dislocation fractur

What is spondylolistheis? Spondylolisthesis is a condition affecting the spine where the vertebrae slip out of position, either forwards or backwards. In children, it mostly affects the L5 (5th lumbar vertebra) and the pelvis. To formulate an accurate diagnosis of spondylolistheis, your doctor will examine your spinal column or will have you raise your leg up, which could cause you some

What are growth factors for sports injuries? Using plasma rich in growth factors is a technique used to treat injuries, especially sports injuries. Growth factors are proteins found in the blood which have a great capacity to accelerate the regeneration of tissue. Growth factors have biological effects such as cell proliferation and differentiation, regeneration of blood vessels (angiogenesi

What are sports injuries?   Competitive and non-competitive sports injuries are injuries that occur in athletic activities or whilst exercising. Whilst some of these happen by chance, others are facilitated by inadequate practice or poor execution in terms of technique, as well as by not using sports equipment correctly.   Sports injuries mainly consist of muscle injuries or

What is sports medicine? Sports medicine is a speciality that deals with injuries sustained during exercise, sports participation and other types of physical activity. Sports medicine specialists help injured patients regain strength and movement after injury and also focus on the prevention of injuries that derive from practising sports. Their various roles include care, nutritional advice, di