medical terms

EQINUS DEFORMITY: when dorsiflexion of the ankle is limited, the term EQUINUS is used to describe tightness in the calf and Achilles tendon. E. can contribute to number of foot and ankle deformities and limit healing following injuries of foot and ankle. [also EQUINUS FOOT]

EQUINUS FOOT: condition in which upward bending motion of the foot ankle joint is limited. Lacks flexibility to bring the top of the foot toward the front of the leg. There are several possible causes for the limited range of ankle motion. Often, it is due to tightness in the Achilles tendon or calf muscles (the soleus muscle and/or gastrocnemius muscle). In some patients, this tightness is congenital (present at birth), and sometimes it is an inherited trait. Other patients acquire the tightness from being in a cast, being on crutches or frequently wearing high-heeled shoes. In addition, diabetes can affect the fibers of the Achilles tendon and cause tightness. Sometimes equinus is related to a bone blocking the ankle motion. For example, a fragment of a broken bone following an ankle injury, or bone block, can get in the way and restrict motion. Equinus may also result from one leg being shorter than the other. Less often, equinus is caused by spasms in the calf muscle. These spasms may be signs of an underlying neurologic disorder. [source]




DORSIFLEXION: is the movement of the foot upwards, so that the foot is closer to the shin. For a movement to be considered dorsiflexion, the foot should be raised upward between 10 and 30 degrees. Dorsiflexionuses the muscles in the front part (anterior) of the foot.






CALF WASTING: leg muscle atrophy: one of the reasons injury to the muscles or their nerves, can be reversed through physical activity.

LESION: aa region in an organ or tissue, which has suffered damage through injury or disease, such as tumour, abnormal change in the structure of an organ.

SOLEUS MUSCLE: 

Your calves are actually made of 2 different muscles: (1) your gastrocnemius and (2) your soleus. Both are powerful muscles responsible for plantar flexion (pointing your toe) and are vital muscles in walking, running, and keeping balance. The gastrocnemius is your larger calf muscle, forming the bulge that is visible beneath your skin. The gastrocnemius has two parts or "heads," which combined together create its diamond shape.The soleus is your smaller, flat muscle that is often overlooked because it’s hiding behind your gastrocnemius. [source, more]



ACHILLES TENDON: the largest tendon in the body. It joins the gastrocnemius (calf) and the soleus muscles of the lower leg to the heel bone of the foot. A compromised Achilles tendon can cause discomfort from a slight ache, tenderness, and stiffness to severe pain, especially when bending the foot downward.

SCLEROTHERAPY: a medical procedure used to eliminate varicose veins, spider veins, block blood flow to vascular malformation. Sclerotherapy involves an injection of a solution (generally a salt solution) directly into the vein. The solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel, causing it to collapse and stick together and the blood to clot.

EMBOLIZATION: Catheter embolization places medications or synthetic materials called embolic agents through a catheter into a blood vessel to block blood flow to an area of the body. It may be used to control or prevent abnormal bleeding, close off vessels supplying blood to a tumor, eliminate abnormal connections between arteries and veins, or to treat aneurysms. Embolization is a highly effective way to control bleeding and is much less invasive than open surgery.