Plain definitions of 35 terms we use on the job in Newnan.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
An Acceleration-Deceleration Injury is a soft-tissue or musculoskeletal injury caused when the body moves quickly forward and backward, or changes speed suddenly. The motion can strain the neck, back, muscles, ligaments, or joints. Motor-vehicle collisions are a common setting, but falls, sports impacts, and other sudden forces can also produce this injury.
Also called: Whiplash injury
An Annular Tear is a split or crack in the annulus fibrosus, the tough outer ring of a spinal disc. The injury can develop from disc stress, wear, or sudden force. An annular tear may cause local back or neck pain and can allow inner disc material to move toward the outer edge.
Also called: Annular fissure
Atlas is the first cervical vertebra in the neck and supports the skull. This ring-shaped bone connects with the base of the skull above and the second cervical vertebra below. Its structure allows head movement while helping protect the upper spinal cord and nearby nerves.
Also called: C1 vertebra
Aura is a temporary neurological symptom that may occur before or during a migraine. Visual changes, tingling, altered sensation, or trouble finding words can signal an aura. An aura does not define every migraine, and some people experience migraine pain without aura. Aura symptoms usually develop gradually and then resolve.
Also called: Migraine aura
A bodily injury claim is a request for compensation after someone suffers physical harm in an incident caused by another party. In an auto accident, the injured person may seek payment from the at-fault driver's liability insurer for medical care and other accident-related losses. The claim concerns personal injury, not damage to a vehicle.
Also called: Injury claim
Bruxism is a repeated habit of clenching or grinding the teeth, often during sleep but sometimes while awake. The activity loads the jaw muscles and temporomandibular joints, which connect the lower jaw to the skull. Bruxism may occur without awareness and can contribute to jaw tension, tooth wear, facial soreness, or morning headaches.
Also called: Teeth grinding
Cervical Lordosis is the natural inward curve of the neck portion of the spine. This curve helps the cervical vertebrae align with the head and upper back. A change in its shape or degree may appear on an imaging report, but the finding must be considered alongside symptoms, movement, posture, and clinical examination.
Also called: Neck curve
Cervicogenic Headache is a headache that begins in the neck and sends pain into the head or face. Neck joints, muscles, discs, or nerves may contribute to the pain pattern. The headache often stays on one side and may worsen with neck movement. Assessment focuses on neck function and related symptoms.
Also called: Neck-related headache
Cobb Angle is a radiographic measurement used to describe the side-to-side curvature of the spine, commonly in scoliosis assessment. A clinician measures the angle formed by lines drawn along selected vertebrae on a standing spinal image. The result helps describe curve severity, monitor change over time, and support clinical planning.
Also called: Cobb measurement
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is muscle pain, tenderness, or stiffness that develops after unfamiliar or strenuous physical activity. The discomfort often affects muscles during movement or touch and reflects the body’s response to exercise-related stress. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness differs from pain that begins during activity or follows an acute injury.
Also called: DOMS
A disc bulge is a condition in which the outer layer of a spinal disc extends beyond its usual boundary. The disc material remains connected around the disc, but the outward change can narrow nearby spaces. Symptoms may include back pain, neck pain, numbness, or weakness when nearby nerves become irritated.
Also called: Bulging disc
An Ergonomic Assessment is a structured review of how a person’s posture, movements, workspace, and daily tasks affect physical strain. The assessment considers body position, equipment setup, and movement habits to identify changes that may support more comfortable and efficient activity. It can guide posture education and individualized care planning.
Also called: Workstation assessment
A facet joint is a small synovial joint located between adjacent vertebrae in the spine. Facet joints guide spinal movement, help limit excessive motion, and support the back during bending, turning, and standing. Each joint has cartilage and a surrounding capsule that can become irritated through injury, wear, or repeated strain.
Also called: Zygapophyseal joint
Forward Head Posture is a postural pattern in which the head rests ahead of the shoulders when viewed from the side. This position changes how the neck, upper back, and surrounding muscles share load during sitting, standing, or movement. The pattern may develop gradually through repeated screen use, reading, driving, or other sustained positions.
Also called: Text neck
A Functional Capacity Evaluation is a structured assessment of physical abilities related to work demands. A qualified clinician observes tasks such as lifting, carrying, reaching, sitting, standing, and moving. Findings describe current functional limits and safe work abilities, which can guide treatment planning, job modifications, or return-to-work decisions.
Also called: FCE
Impingement Syndrome is a shoulder condition in which movement narrows space around the rotator cuff tendons or nearby bursa. The narrowing can irritate these tissues during arm elevation or reaching. Symptoms often include shoulder pain, tenderness, and limited motion, but similar symptoms can have other causes and require clinical assessment for accurate identification.
Also called: Shoulder impingement
Kinesiology Tape is an elastic adhesive strip used to provide light sensory input and support around moving muscles and joints. The tape follows the body’s contours and allows normal movement. Clinicians may apply it during sports injury care to complement movement assessment, exercise, and other treatment methods.
Also called: Kinesio tape
Kyphosis is an exaggerated outward curve of the upper spine that creates a rounded or hunched appearance. The curve may develop from posture, spinal changes, growth-related conditions, or injury. Mild kyphosis may cause few symptoms, while more pronounced curvature can affect movement, comfort, and the way the head and shoulders align.
Also called: Rounded upper back
Lumbar Lordosis is the natural inward curve of the lower spine. This curve helps position the pelvis, distribute load through the lumbar vertebrae, and support upright posture. The curve varies among people and may change with posture, movement, muscle tension, or spinal conditions. Excessive or reduced curvature can affect back mechanics.
Also called: Low back curve
The median nerve is a peripheral nerve that travels from the neck through the arm and forearm into the hand. It carries sensory signals from parts of the hand and motor signals to several forearm and hand muscles. Pressure or irritation along this pathway may contribute to numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain.
Also called: Median nerve pathway
A muscle spasm is a sudden, involuntary tightening of muscle tissue that may limit movement and create localized pain or stiffness. In the neck, the contraction can affect nearby joints and alter normal head movement. Muscle spasms may follow strain, prolonged posture, sudden motion, or irritation involving muscles and surrounding structures.
Also called: Muscle cramp
A nerve conduction study is a diagnostic test that measures how electrical signals travel through a nerve. Small sensors record the signal’s speed and strength as stimulation passes along the nerve. Clinicians use the findings to assess nerve function and identify patterns linked to conditions such as peripheral neuropathy or nerve compression.
Also called: NCS
Nerve Root Compression is pressure on a spinal nerve root where it leaves the spinal cord. A herniated disc, narrowed spinal passage, or nearby tissue can create that pressure. Symptoms may follow the nerve’s path and include pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in an arm or leg.
Also called: Nerve compression
Paresthesia is an unusual skin sensation that occurs without an obvious outside trigger. People may describe paresthesia as tingling, prickling, burning, numbness, or a feeling of pins and needles. The sensation may affect an arm, leg, hand, foot, or another area. Paresthesia can relate to temporary nerve pressure or ongoing nerve irritation.
Also called: Pins and needles
Patellar Tracking is the movement of the kneecap within the groove at the end of the thighbone as the knee bends and straightens. Smooth tracking keeps the patella aligned with surrounding joint surfaces. Changes in muscle control, leg alignment, or soft-tissue tension can alter this movement and contribute to knee discomfort.
Also called: Kneecap tracking
A radiculopathy is a condition caused by irritation or compression of a spinal nerve root. The condition can produce pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness along the nerve's pathway. Symptoms may travel from the spine into an arm or leg, depending on which nerve root is affected and where the problem occurs.
Also called: Pinched nerve
Return to Work is a workplace planning process that guides an injured employee back to job duties after a work-related injury. The process may involve temporary task changes, physical capacity checks, treatment updates, and communication among the employee, employer, healthcare professionals, and claims representatives. The goal is a safe, practical transition into regular work.
Also called: Work reintegration
Rotator Cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surrounds the shoulder joint and helps keep the upper arm bone positioned during movement. The cuff supports shoulder stability and assists actions such as lifting, reaching, and rotating the arm. Injury or irritation can affect strength, motion, and comfort.
Also called: Shoulder cuff
Spinal manipulation is a hands-on technique that applies a controlled force to a specific spinal joint. The goal is to influence joint motion and surrounding tissues. A trained clinician may use a quick thrust or a slower mobilizing motion, depending on the person’s assessment, comfort, and care plan.
Also called: Chiropractic manipulation
Sprain is a ligament injury caused by stretching or tearing the tough bands that connect bones at a joint. A sprain commonly affects areas such as the ankle, knee, wrist, or shoulder. Symptoms may include pain, swelling, bruising, tenderness, and reduced joint movement, depending on the injury’s location and severity.
Also called: Ligament injury
Subluxation is a chiropractic term for altered motion or function in a vertebral segment, often assessed through movement, posture, and examination findings. It does not automatically mean a bone is dislocated. In chiropractic care, the term describes a clinical pattern that may guide decisions about a chiropractic adjustment and related care.
Also called: Joint misalignment
Torticollis is a condition in which the neck muscles or joints limit comfortable head movement, causing the head to tilt toward one side while the chin turns toward the opposite side. In infants, torticollis may affect feeding position, head control, or the development of balanced neck movement. In older children, injury or muscle tension may contribute.
Also called: Wry neck
A trigger point is a sensitive area within a muscle that may feel tight and produce pain when pressed or when the muscle is active. The discomfort can occur at the spot itself or in another nearby area. Clinicians assess its location, tenderness, and effect on movement when considering headache-related muscle pain.
Also called: Myofascial trigger point
A vertebral segment is a functional unit of the spine made up of two neighboring vertebrae, the disc between them, and nearby joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. Chiropractors assess each segment for motion, alignment, and related tissue response. The term describes a working area of the spine, not a single bone.
Also called: Spinal segment
Webster Technique is a chiropractic approach used during pregnancy to assess and address pelvic and sacral alignment, muscle tension, and related soft-tissue restrictions. The technique focuses on the pregnant patient’s musculoskeletal function, not on turning or diagnosing the fetus. A chiropractor selects gentle procedures according to the patient’s findings, comfort, and stage of pregnancy.
Also called: Webster chiropractic technique
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 Newnan, Georgia, United States about your specific condition before making care decisions. Individual results vary.
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