Physiotherapy Glossary

Plain-language definitions of common terms you may come across in physiotherapy assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation at Cheryl Gaynor Physiotherapy. Each entry is self-contained, so you can look up a single term without needing to read the rest of the page.

Adhesions: Bands of scar-like tissue that form between structures such as muscles, tendons, or organs, often after surgery, injury, or prolonged immobility. Adhesions can restrict normal movement and cause pain or stiffness. Physiotherapy techniques such as manual therapy or soft tissue mobilisation are often used to reduce their effect on movement.
Biomechanics: The study of how the body moves, focusing on the mechanical forces produced by muscles, joints, and connective tissue during activities such as walking, running, or lifting. Physiotherapists use biomechanical assessment to identify movement patterns that may be contributing to pain or injury.
Chronic Pain: Pain that persists for longer than three months, often beyond the normal healing time of the original injury or condition. Chronic pain is managed differently from acute pain, typically combining physiotherapy, education, and graded activity rather than rest alone.
Core Stability: The ability of the deep abdominal, back, and pelvic muscles to work together to support the spine and pelvis during movement. Core stability exercises are commonly prescribed to reduce lower back pain and improve control during physical activity.
Dry Needling: A treatment technique in which a thin needle is inserted into a tight band of muscle, known as a trigger point, to reduce muscle tension and pain. Dry needling is distinct from acupuncture, as it is based on Western anatomical and neurophysiological principles rather than traditional Chinese medicine.
Electrotherapy: The use of electrical energy, such as low-frequency electrical stimulation, as part of physiotherapy treatment to reduce pain, promote healing, or stimulate muscle activity. Common forms include TENS and neuromuscular electrical stimulation.
Fascia: A layer of connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles, bones, and organs throughout the body. Restrictions or tightness in the fascia can contribute to pain and limited movement, and are often addressed through myofascial release techniques.
Gait Analysis: An assessment of a person's walking or running pattern, used to identify abnormalities that may be causing pain, inefficiency, or increased risk of injury. Gait analysis may be performed visually or with the assistance of video and pressure-sensing equipment.
Hydrotherapy: Physiotherapy exercises performed in a warm water pool, where buoyancy reduces the load on joints and muscles. Hydrotherapy is often used for rehabilitation after surgery, injury, or for conditions such as arthritis, where land-based exercise may be too painful.
Inflammation: The body's natural response to injury or irritation, characterised by swelling, redness, heat, and pain. Inflammation is a normal part of healing, but when it becomes prolonged or excessive it can be a target of physiotherapy treatment.
Joint Mobilisation: A manual therapy technique in which a physiotherapist applies controlled, graded movements to a joint to reduce stiffness, improve range of motion, and decrease pain.
Kinesiology Taping: The application of elastic therapeutic tape to the skin over a muscle or joint, used to support movement, reduce swelling, or provide sensory feedback during rehabilitation.
Ligament: A band of fibrous connective tissue that connects one bone to another and helps stabilise a joint. Ligament injuries, such as sprains, are common and often treated with a structured physiotherapy rehabilitation programme.
Manual Therapy: A hands-on treatment approach used by physiotherapists, including techniques such as joint mobilisation, soft tissue massage, and manipulation, aimed at reducing pain and restoring normal movement.
Musculoskeletal: Relating to the muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments that make up the body's movement system. Musculoskeletal physiotherapy focuses on injuries and conditions affecting these structures.
Neuromuscular: Relating to the interaction between the nervous system and the muscles. Neuromuscular physiotherapy addresses how the brain and nerves control muscle activity, often relevant after stroke, nerve injury, or in movement retraining.
Orthotics: Custom or off-the-shelf devices, such as shoe inserts, designed to support, align, or correct the function of the foot and lower limb during movement.
Physiotherapy: A healthcare profession focused on assessing, diagnosing, and treating physical impairments, disabilities, and pain through methods such as exercise, manual therapy, education, and rehabilitation, with the aim of restoring and maintaining movement and function.
Proprioception: The body's ability to sense its position and movement in space without relying on sight. Proprioceptive training is often included in rehabilitation programmes to reduce the risk of re-injury, particularly after joint injuries such as ankle sprains.
Range of Motion (ROM): The extent to which a joint can move in a particular direction, measured in degrees. Physiotherapists assess and work to improve range of motion when it is restricted by injury, surgery, or a musculoskeletal condition.
Rehabilitation: A structured process of exercises and treatment aimed at helping a person recover function, strength, and mobility after an injury, surgery, or illness.
Sports Physiotherapy: A branch of physiotherapy focused on the prevention, assessment, and treatment of injuries related to sport and exercise, as well as supporting athletes through performance-related rehabilitation.
Tendon: A tough band of fibrous tissue that connects muscle to bone and transmits the force generated by muscle contraction to produce movement. Tendon injuries, such as tendinopathy, are commonly treated with progressive loading exercise programmes.
TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation): A treatment method that delivers a small electrical current through electrodes placed on the skin, used to help reduce the sensation of pain.
Ultrasound Therapy: A treatment technique that uses high-frequency sound waves delivered through a handheld device to promote tissue healing and reduce pain and inflammation in soft tissue injuries.
Vestibular Rehabilitation: A specialised form of physiotherapy that treats problems related to the inner ear and balance system, aimed at reducing dizziness and improving stability.
Whiplash: A neck injury caused by a sudden, forceful back-and-forth movement of the head, commonly resulting from a motor vehicle collision. Whiplash-associated disorders are often managed with physiotherapy, including gentle mobilisation and progressive exercise.