Muscular System: Word Building

Structures of the Muscular System

This section introduces combining forms that describe the anatomical structures of the muscular system. Understanding these terms is essential for building and interpreting medical vocabulary related to muscles.

• my/o, myos/o: Refers to muscle. Example: Myopathy (muscle disease).

• leiomy/o: Refers to smooth muscle (involuntary, non-striated muscle found in organs). Example: Leiomyoma (smooth muscle tumor).

• rhabdomy/o: Refers to striated (skeletal) muscle. Example: Rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of striated muscle).

• fasci/o: Refers to fascia, the connective tissue surrounding muscles. Example: Fasciotomy (surgical incision into fascia).

• ten/o, tend/o, tendin/o: Refers to tendon, which connects muscle to bone. Example: Tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon).

• brachi/o: Refers to the arm. Example: Brachialgia (pain in the arm).

Example: Surgical repair of fibrous membrane is known as tenoplasty.

Actions and States of the Muscular System

Combining forms are also used to describe muscle actions, responses, and states. These terms are foundational for understanding muscle function and related disorders.

• kinesi/o, kines/o: Refers to movement. Example: Kinesiology (study of movement).

• tax/o: Refers to coordination or reaction to stimulus. Example: Ataxia (lack of coordination).

• troph/o: Refers to development or nourishment. Example: Hypertrophy (excessive muscle development).

• ton/o: Refers to tone or tension. Example: Tonic (pertaining to muscle tone).

• metr/o: Refers to measure. Example: Isometric (equal measure; muscle contraction without movement).

• brady-: Prefix meaning slow. Example: Bradykinesia (slowness of movement).

• iso-: Prefix meaning equal. Example: Isotonic (equal tension).

Example: Hypertrophy refers to excessive muscle growth.

Suffixes Related to the Muscular System

Suffixes are added to word roots or combining forms to modify meaning, often indicating a condition, process, or disease related to muscles.

• -asthenia: Means weakness. Example: Myasthenia (muscle weakness).

• -plasia: Means formation, growth. Example: Dysplasia (abnormal growth).

• -paresis: Means partial paralysis. Example: Hemiparesis (weakness on one side of the body).

• -plegia: Means paralysis. Example: Quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs).

• -cele: Means hernia, protrusion, swelling. Example: Myelocele (protrusion of spinal cord tissue).

Example: Common symptoms after a stroke are muscle weakness, fatigue, and loss of balance on one side of the body. The term that best describes this condition is hemiparesis.

Selected Examples and Applications

• Dystonia: Abnormal muscle tone causing involuntary muscle contractions.

• Myelocele: Protrusion of muscle through a tear in the fascia.

• Nephroptosis: Condition in which a kidney is displaced downward when a person stands up (not directly related to the muscular system, but demonstrates use of the suffix -ptosis for drooping or prolapse).

Table: Key Combining Forms and Suffixes in Muscular System Terminology

Additional info: The notes include both combining forms and suffixes, as well as example questions and answers to reinforce learning. The content is structured to support mastery of medical terminology related to the muscular system, as found in a college-level Medical Terminology course.