Plain definitions of 35 terms we use on the job in Garden City.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
Activator Method is a chiropractic adjustment technique that uses a handheld, spring-loaded instrument to deliver a controlled impulse to a targeted joint. The method is commonly associated with instrument-assisted care and aims to address restricted joint movement without the practitioner’s hands applying a traditional thrust. Chiropractors assess the patient before selecting this approach.
Also called: Activator Technique
An acute injury is a sudden physical injury that develops after a specific event, such as a fall, collision, twist, or forceful movement. The injury may affect muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, discs, or nerves. Symptoms often begin soon after the event and may include pain, swelling, stiffness, weakness, or limited movement.
Atlas vertebra is the first cervical vertebra in the neck and the uppermost bone of the spinal column. This ring-shaped bone supports the skull and connects with the axis vertebra below it. Its joints help the head nod and rotate while protecting the upper spinal cord and supporting normal neck movement.
Also called: C1 Vertebra
A Bodily Injury Claim is a formal request for compensation after another person’s conduct allegedly causes physical harm. The claim may involve medical records, treatment notes, accident details, and communications with an insurer or legal representative. A bodily injury claim addresses the injured person’s losses and recovery needs, not property damage alone.
A bulging disc is an intervertebral disc that extends beyond its usual boundary as its outer layer pushes outward. The change may occur without a torn outer layer. A bulging disc can affect nearby nerve tissue, but its presence does not always explain a person’s symptoms. Clinical findings help determine its meaning.
Also called: Bulged Disc
A calorie deficit is a gap created when the body uses more energy than it receives from food and drinks over time. The body may draw on stored energy to meet its needs. Medical weight loss plans may track this balance alongside food choices, activity, appetite, health history, and other factors that affect weight management.
Cervical Spine is the upper section of the spinal column that supports the head and connects the skull with the thoracic spine. It contains the neck vertebrae, joints, discs, nerves, and spinal cord. This region allows controlled head and neck movement while helping protect important neural structures within the neck.
Also called: Neck Spine
Chiropractic Subluxation is a chiropractic assessment concept describing altered spinal or joint function that may affect movement, alignment, or surrounding tissues. Chiropractors assess this concept through a health history, physical examination, movement findings, and palpation. The term has a profession-specific meaning and does not describe the same condition as a medically diagnosed partial dislocation.
Also called: Vertebral Subluxation
Coccyx is the small, tapered bone at the base of the spine, commonly called the tailbone. It connects with the sacrum and helps anchor muscles and ligaments around the pelvis. The coccyx also supports the body during seated movement and can contribute to pain felt near the lower back or buttocks.
Also called: Tailbone
Disc Degeneration is a gradual change in the intervertebral discs that cushion the spine. The discs may lose water, height, and flexibility as they age or face repeated strain. These changes can affect spinal movement and may occur with or without back or neck symptoms. Imaging findings do not always explain a person’s discomfort.
Also called: Degenerative Disc Disease
A Facet Joint is a small synovial joint at the back of the spine that connects neighboring vertebrae. Facet joints guide spinal movement, help limit excessive twisting, and support the spine during everyday activity. Each joint has cartilage and a surrounding capsule, and irritation in these structures can contribute to localized back or neck pain.
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 can increase demand on the neck, upper back, and supporting muscles. The pattern may develop during prolonged screen use, reading, driving, or other tasks that keep the head angled forward.
Also called: Text Neck
Gait Analysis is a clinical assessment of how you walk or move. The assessment examines foot placement, stride pattern, balance, joint motion, and muscle coordination during movement. Providers may observe movement directly or use video and other tools to identify patterns that can affect posture, comfort, or physical function.
Also called: Walking Assessment
GLP-1 Medication is a prescription treatment that acts on pathways linked to appetite, digestion, and blood sugar control. These medicines mimic or strengthen signals from a natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1. Clinicians may prescribe them for diabetes management, weight management, or both, depending on the specific medication and the patient’s health needs.
Also called: GLP-1 Drug
Infant Torticollis is a condition in which an infant holds the head tilted toward one side and turns the chin toward the other. The pattern often relates to limited movement or tightness in neck muscles. Assessment also considers head shape, feeding position, movement on both sides, and other possible causes.
Also called: Wry Neck
An intervertebral disc is a flexible cushion between neighboring vertebrae in the spine. Each disc has a tougher outer ring and a softer inner center. The disc helps the spine move, absorb everyday loading, and maintain space between vertebrae where spinal nerves leave the spinal column.
Also called: Spinal Disc
Joint Mobility is the available movement within a joint and the surrounding tissues that support that movement. It describes how freely a joint moves through its usable range, including the direction, control, and ease of motion. Physical therapists assess joint mobility to understand movement limits and guide appropriate exercise or manual techniques.
Also called: Joint Range of Motion
Lumbar Spine is the lower section of the spinal column between the thoracic spine and the pelvis. It contains vertebrae, discs, joints, nerves, and supporting muscles that help carry body weight and allow bending, turning, and coordinated movement. Changes in this region can contribute to localized low back pain or symptoms that travel into the leg.
Also called: Lower Back Spine
A medical lien is an arrangement that allows a healthcare provider to seek payment from proceeds connected to a personal injury claim, subject to the agreement and applicable law. The provider delivers covered care before the claim resolves. Payment is addressed from the claim proceeds, not treated as an ordinary upfront payment arrangement.
Also called: Letter of Protection
A metabolic rate is the speed at which your body uses energy to support basic functions and physical activity. The rate includes energy used while resting, digesting food, moving, and maintaining body temperature. Age, body composition, activity, health conditions, medications, and eating patterns can influence how much energy your body needs.
Also called: Metabolism
A Muscle Spasm is an involuntary tightening of a muscle that may limit movement and create localized pain or stiffness. The contraction can occur suddenly in the back, neck, or another body area. A spasm may follow muscle strain, prolonged posture, repetitive activity, or irritation affecting nearby joints and nerves.
Also called: Muscle Cramp
A nerve root is the portion of a spinal nerve that branches from the spinal cord through an opening between adjacent vertebrae. Nerve roots carry sensory information toward the spinal cord and movement signals toward muscles. Irritation or pressure near a nerve root may produce pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness along a related nerve pathway.
Also called: Spinal Nerve Root
Neuropathy is a condition involving damage, irritation, or altered function in one or more peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerves carry signals between the brain, spinal cord, skin, muscles, and organs. Neuropathy may affect sensation, movement, or automatic body functions, and symptoms can vary by the nerves involved and the underlying cause.
Also called: Peripheral Neuropathy
A Personal Injury Claim is a legal request for compensation after another party’s actions allegedly cause physical harm, emotional distress, or related losses. The claim may involve an insurance company, attorneys, medical records, and other evidence. Treatment records can describe injuries and care, while legal professionals assess responsibility and potential recovery.
Also called: Personal Injury Case
Range of Motion is the available movement at a joint or body region, described by the direction and extent of movement. Clinicians assess it actively when you move on your own and passively when an examiner guides movement. Findings may help describe stiffness, restriction, or change during physical therapy.
Also called: ROM
Referred Pain is discomfort felt in an area that differs from the tissue or structure producing the pain signal. The brain may interpret signals from nearby or connected body regions as coming from another location. In neck pain, a joint, muscle, or nerve-related source can create symptoms in the shoulder, upper back, or arm.
Relaxin is a hormone associated with pregnancy that changes connective tissue behavior and supports physical adaptations as the body prepares for birth. The hormone can affect ligament flexibility around the pelvis and other joints. These changes may influence joint stability, movement patterns, and how prenatal chiropractic care is planned.
The sciatic nerve is the body’s largest peripheral nerve. It begins from nerve roots in the lower spine, passes through the pelvis and buttock, and continues down each leg. The sciatic nerve carries signals that support movement and sensation in the lower limb. Irritation or pressure along its path can produce sciatic symptoms.
Also called: Ischial Nerve
Spinal Cord is a long bundle of nerve tissue that carries signals between the brain and the rest of the body. It runs through the spinal canal and connects with nerves that control movement, sensation, and many automatic body functions. The spinal cord forms a central pathway within the nervous system.
Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine that can reduce room for the spinal cord or nerve roots. The narrowing may develop in the neck or lower back and can affect movement, sensation, or strength. Symptoms vary because spinal stenosis may not affect every nerve in the same way.
Also called: Narrowing of the Spine
Thoracic Spine is the middle section of the spinal column between the neck and lower back. It connects with the ribs and supports the upper and middle trunk. This region includes thoracic vertebrae, discs, joints, nerves, muscles, and ligaments that help coordinate posture, trunk movement, and rib motion.
Also called: Mid Back Spine
A trigger point is a sensitive area within a tight band of muscle that may produce local tenderness or pain felt in another area. Physical therapists assess these points through a patient history, movement checks, and gentle palpation. A trigger point can affect muscle comfort, flexibility, and the way a person performs everyday movements.
Also called: Muscle Knot
A vertebra is one of the individual bones that form the spinal column. Each vertebra has a central opening for the spinal cord and surfaces that connect with nearby vertebrae. Together, these bones support the body, protect nerve tissue, and allow controlled movement through the neck, back, and lower spine.
Also called: Spinal Bone
Webster Technique is a chiropractic approach used during pregnancy to assess and address sacral and pelvic balance. The approach combines gentle evaluation with targeted chiropractic care for related muscles, ligaments, and joints. Webster Technique does not turn or reposition a fetus. Instead, the method focuses on the pregnant patient’s musculoskeletal function.
Also called: Webster Method
Weight-bearing exercise is physical activity performed while your body supports its own weight through the feet, hands, or another contact point. The activity places a controlled load on bones, joints, and muscles during movement. Walking, stair climbing, squats, and supported standing are common examples, with the level adjusted to match functional goals.
Also called: Load-Bearing Exercise
