Plain definitions of 35 terms we use on the job in Savannah.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
An Activator Instrument is a handheld chiropractic tool that delivers a controlled, low-force impulse to a targeted area. Chiropractors may use the instrument during a chiropractic adjustment when they want focused contact and consistent pressure. The tool supports a specific adjustment approach, but it does not replace examination, clinical judgment, or patient communication.
Also called: Activator device
An Acute Injury is a recent physical injury that develops suddenly after an event, movement, impact, or unusual load. It may affect muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, or other tissues. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, tenderness, weakness, or reduced movement. The term describes timing and onset, not the injury’s exact severity or cause.
Anterior Pelvic Tilt is a postural alignment pattern in which the front of the pelvis rotates forward and the back of the pelvis rises. This position often increases the curve of the lower back and changes how the hips, spine, and abdominal muscles share movement during standing, walking, or exercise.
Also called: Anterior tilt
Atlas is the first cervical vertebra in the neck, located beneath the skull and above the axis. Named for its role in supporting the head, the atlas has a ring-like shape and helps the upper neck bend and rotate. Its joints and surrounding tissues may be assessed during a chiropractic adjustment.
Also called: C1 vertebra, First cervical vertebra
The axis is the second cervical vertebra in the neck. It sits below the atlas and has a tooth-like projection called the dens. The dens fits into the atlas and helps the head rotate. In chiropractic care, the axis is assessed as part of the upper cervical spine and its relationship to nearby joints and tissues.
Also called: C2 vertebra, Second cervical vertebra
Cervical Lordosis is the natural inward curve of the neck portion of the spine. This curve helps position the head above the shoulders and allows the cervical vertebrae to share movement and load. Its shape varies among people and may change with posture, injury, muscle tension, or spinal conditions.
Also called: Neck curve
The cervical spine is the neck section of the vertebral column that supports the head and protects the upper spinal cord. It includes the vertebrae, discs, joints, muscles, ligaments, and nerves that guide neck movement. Its condition can influence neck motion, posture, and symptoms that extend into the shoulders or arms.
Also called: Neck spine
Core Stability is the ability to control the trunk and pelvis while the body moves or holds a position. The concept involves coordinated action from muscles around the abdomen, back, hips, and pelvis. Good core stability supports controlled movement, balanced force transfer, and steady posture during daily tasks or therapeutic exercise.
Also called: Core strength
A disc bulge is a change in an intervertebral disc where the outer disc tissue extends beyond its usual boundary. The bulge may affect part of the disc’s edge without a complete tear. Some disc bulges cause no symptoms, while others may relate to back pain, stiffness, or nerve irritation.
Also called: Bulging disc
Disc Degeneration is a gradual change in the spinal discs that reduces their ability to cushion movement between vertebrae. The discs may lose water content, flexibility, or height over time. These changes can occur in the neck or lower back and may appear with back pain, stiffness, or no symptoms at all.
Also called: Degenerative disc disease
Edema is a condition in which excess fluid collects in body tissues, causing visible or palpable swelling. The swelling may affect an injured area, a limb, or another body region. In work injury care, edema can reflect local tissue irritation, changes in circulation, or the body's response to physical trauma.
Also called: Swelling
Facet Joint is a small synovial joint at the back of the spine that connects neighboring vertebrae. Facet joints guide spinal movement, limit excessive twisting, and help stabilize each spinal segment. Their smooth cartilage surfaces and surrounding capsule allow controlled motion while distributing forces through the spine.
Also called: Zygapophyseal joint
A Foam Roller is a firm cylindrical exercise tool used to apply controlled pressure to muscles and surrounding soft tissue. People roll selected body areas over the surface to support movement preparation, recovery work, and mobility exercises. A foam roller may also help practitioners guide therapeutic exercise based on a person’s movement needs.
Forward Head Posture is a postural pattern in which the head rests ahead of the shoulders when viewed from the side. The position can increase demand on the neck, upper back, and supporting muscles during standing, sitting, or movement. The pattern may develop with sustained screen use, desk work, or other repeated positions.
Also called: Text neck
Gait Analysis is a clinical assessment of how you walk or run. The assessment examines foot placement, stride pattern, joint motion, balance, and muscle coordination. A practitioner may observe movement directly or review video to identify changes that can relate to sports injuries, movement limits, or uneven loading across the body.
Also called: Walking analysis
Joint mobilization is a hands-on manual therapy technique that applies controlled movement to a joint and its surrounding tissues. The clinician guides the joint through a selected range to support motion and reduce mechanical restriction. The technique may involve gentle oscillations or sustained pressure, based on the joint, symptoms, and examination findings.
Also called: Joint mobilisation
Kinesiology Tape is an elastic adhesive strip placed on the skin to provide light support and sensory input during movement. Unlike rigid athletic tape, it stretches and moves with the body. Practitioners may apply it around muscles, joints, or areas affected by sports-related discomfort as part of a broader care plan.
Also called: KT tape
Kyphosis is an excessive outward curve of the upper spine that rounds the back. A mild curve in the thoracic spine is normal, but increased curvature can affect posture, spinal alignment, and movement. Kyphosis may develop from posture habits, spinal changes, or conditions that alter the shape of vertebrae.
Also called: Rounded upper back
The lumbar spine is the lower section of the vertebral column, located between the thoracic spine and the pelvis. It contains five movable vertebrae that support the trunk, guide lower-back movement, and help protect nerves traveling toward the legs. Muscles, discs, joints, and connective tissues work with this region during daily activities.
Also called: Lower back spine
Massage Gun is a handheld therapy device that delivers repeated, gentle pulses to soft tissue through a moving attachment. The pulses create a tapping sensation that may help prepare muscles for movement or ease temporary muscle tightness. A massage gun supports hands-on care, but it does not replace clinical assessment or targeted treatment.
Also called: Percussion massager
A muscle spasm is a sudden, involuntary tightening of muscle fibers that may feel hard, painful, or difficult to relax. Spasms can affect the back, neck, or limbs and may follow physical strain, prolonged positioning, or irritation near a joint or nerve. The tightening may be brief or persistent.
Also called: Muscle cramp
Muscle Strain is an overstretching or tearing injury in muscle tissue or the tendon that connects muscle to bone. The injury often follows lifting, reaching, twisting, repetitive work, or a sudden force. Symptoms may include localized pain, tenderness, stiffness, weakness, swelling, or reduced movement near the affected area.
Also called: Pulled muscle
Myofascial Release is a hands-on soft-tissue technique that applies sustained, controlled pressure to areas where fascia and muscle feel restricted. The method aims to improve tissue mobility, reduce local tension, and support smoother movement. A practitioner may work directly on tight tissue or guide gentle movement while monitoring comfort and response.
Also called: MFR
A nerve root is the short section of a spinal nerve that leaves the spinal cord through an opening between vertebrae. Each nerve root carries signals between the spinal cord and a specific region of the body. Pressure, inflammation, or irritation near a nerve root may contribute to radiating pain, tingling, weakness, or altered sensation.
Pelvic Floor is a group of muscles and connective tissues that spans the bottom of the pelvis. These structures support pelvic organs and help control the openings for urination and bowel movements. The pelvic floor also works with the abdomen, spine, hips, and breathing muscles to manage pressure and movement.
Also called: Pelvic floor muscles
Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition involving damage or dysfunction in nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. It may affect sensation, movement, or automatic body functions. Common experiences include burning, tingling, numbness, sensitivity, or weakness in the hands or feet. Causes can include metabolic disease, medication effects, injury, infection, or pressure on nerves.
Also called: Nerve damage
Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense the position and movement of its joints and limbs without relying on vision. Receptors in muscles, tendons, joints, and skin send information to the nervous system. This internal feedback helps you coordinate movement, control force, maintain posture, and adjust your body during activity.
Also called: Body awareness
Radiculopathy is a condition in which a spinal nerve root becomes irritated or compressed, causing symptoms along the nerve’s pathway. Common symptoms include radiating pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in an arm or leg. The affected spinal level helps determine where symptoms appear and distinguishes radiculopathy from localized muscle pain.
Also called: Pinched nerve
Range Of Motion is the amount and direction a joint can move through its available path. Clinicians assess movement in active form, when you move the joint yourself, and passive form, when an outside force guides the joint. The finding may describe movement at one joint or across a connected body region.
Also called: ROM
Referred Pain is a pain pattern felt in an area away from the tissue causing the discomfort. Shared nerve pathways can make the brain locate signals inaccurately. For example, irritation in the neck may be felt in the shoulder or upper arm. The painful area and the source area may differ.
Sacroiliac Joint is the connection between the sacrum at the base of the spine and the ilium of the pelvis. Each person has a joint on both sides. These joints transfer load between the upper body and legs, support pelvic stability, and allow small movements during walking, bending, and changing position.
Also called: SI joint
Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine that may reduce room for the spinal cord or nerve roots. The narrowing often develops in the lower back or neck. Symptoms can include back pain, leg discomfort, numbness, weakness, or changes in walking, although some people have no symptoms.
Also called: Narrowing of the spine
Thoracic Spine is the middle section of the spinal column, extending from the base of the neck to the lower back. It contains vertebrae that connect with the ribs and help form the back wall of the chest. This region supports the upper body, protects part of the spinal cord, and contributes to trunk movement.
Also called: Mid-back spine
Trigger Point is a tender, tight area within a muscle or its surrounding tissue that may produce local discomfort or referred pain when pressed. Trigger points often develop when muscle tissue stays under strain, such as after repetitive activity, prolonged posture, or an injury. Massage therapy may address these areas through focused pressure and tissue work.
Also called: Muscle knot
Vertebral Subluxation is a chiropractic term for altered motion, alignment, or function in a spinal joint. Chiropractors assess the surrounding joints, muscles, posture, and movement to understand the finding. The term does not necessarily mean a partial dislocation in the medical or emergency care sense. Its meaning depends on the examination context.
Also called: Chiropractic subluxation
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 Savannah, Georgia, United States about your specific condition before making care decisions. Individual results vary.
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