MSK Dictionary

• Bones

  • Pterion
  • Mandible
  • Vomer
  • Maxilla (2)
  • Zygomatic (2)
  • Palatine (2)
  • Nasal (2)
  • Lacrimal (2)
  • Inferior nasal conchae (2)
  • Frontal
  • Ethmoid
  • Sphenoid
  • Occipital
  • Temporal (2)
  • Parietal (2)
  • C1 vertebra
  • Cervical vertebrae
  • Thoracic vertebrae
  • Lumbar vertebrae
  • Sacrum
  • Coccyx
  • Hip bones
  • Femur
  • Tibia
  • Fibula
  • Patella
  • Calcaneus
  • Talus
  • Navicular
  • Cuboid
  • Medial, intermediate, lateral cuneiforms
  • Metatarsals
  • Phalanges (toes)
  • Scapula
  • Clavicle
  • Humerus
  • Ulna
  • Radius
  • Scaphoid
  • Lunate
  • Triquetrum
  • Pisiform
  • Trapezium
  • Trapezoid
  • Capitate
  • Harnate
  • Metacarpals
  • Phalanges (fingers)
• Pterion

  • Articulation between parietal, temporal, sphenoid, and frontal bones
• Mandible

  • Condylar process articulates with temporal bone to form TMJ
  • Ramus and coronoid process for muscle attachment
  • Alveolar processes for teeth
• Frontal


  • Forehead
  • Contributes to orbital cavities
  • Supraorbital notch which contains supraorbital nerve, artery, and vein
• Ethmoid


  • Perforations for olfactory nerves
• Sphenoid


  • Large number of foramen
  • hypophyseal/pituitary fossa
• Occipital


  • External occipital protuberance
  • Occipital condyles articulate with cervical spine
• Temporal


  • Mandibular fossa
  • Zygomatic process
  • Mastoid process
  • External acoustic meatus opening/tympanic part
• C1 vertebra


  • Articulates with occipital condyles
• Cervical vertebrae

  • Small kidney-shaped body
  • Bifurcated spinous processes
  • Transverse process with transverse foramina
• Thoracic vertebrae


  • Heart-shaped body
  • Long, inferiorly directed spinous processes
  • Long thick transverse processes
• Lumbar vertebrae


  • Large kidney-shaped body
  • Horizontal spinous processes
  • Thick transverse processes
• Sacrum


  • 5 fused vertebrae
• Coccyx


  • 4 fused vertebrae
  • Coccygeal cornu
• Hip bones


  • Ilium
  • Ischium
  • Pubis
• Ilium


  • The iliac crest forms the medial flat edge of the hip bone, the gluteal line is in the middle of the flat edges, the anterior superior iliac spine is the lateral point, the posterior superior iliac spine is the medial point, the greater sciatic notch is the large inlet on the medial side
• Ischium


  • The ischial spine is a point on the medial side, the ischial tuberosity is the most inferior point, and the obturator foramen is the large hole between the ischium and the pubis
• Pubis


  • The pubic tubercle is the anterior point
• Femur


  • Greater trochanter
  • Lesser trochanter
  • Intertrochanteric line
  • Intertrochanteric crest
• Scapula


  • Acromion
  • Coracoid process
  • Glenoid fossa (humerus attachment)
• Scapula movements


  • Elevation
  • Depression
  • Protraction
  • Retraction
  • Upward rotation
  • Downward rotation
• Clavicle


  • Sternal end
  • Acromial end
• Scaphoid


  • Most common bone in a wrist fracture
• Temporalis


  • Originates at coronoid process
  • Attaches to temporal lines
  • Allows depression/elevation and side to side movement for chewing
• Masseter


  • Originates at zygomatic arch
  • Attaches to ramus and angle of mandible
  • Allows elevation for chewing
• Trapezius


  • Originates at external occipital protuberance, ligamentum nuchae, spinous processes to clavicle and scapula
  • Allows extension of neck, lateral flexion, rotation
  • Superior fibres for elevation
  • Horizontal fibres for protraction and retraction
  • Inferior fibres for depression
• Splenius capitis


  • Originates at spinous processes to mastoid process
  • Allows extension and rotation
• Splenius cervicis


  • Originates at spinous processes to transverse processes
  • Allows extension and rotation
  • Inferior to splenius capitis
• Semispinalis capitis


  • Originates at transverse processes to skull
• Semispinalis cervicis


  • Originates at transverse processes to spinous processes
• Erector spinae


  • Includes spinalis, longissimus, iliocostalis
  • Allows extension
• Multifidus


  • Spans the entire length of spine
  • Allows extension and rotation
• Abdominal muscles


  • Rectus abdominis allows flexion
  • External oblique allows rotation
  • Internal oblique allows rotation
  • Transverse abdominis allows rotation and attaches from ribs and costal cartilages to iliac crest and pubic symphysis
• Hamstrings


  • Allow extension of thigh and flexion of knee
  • Originate at ischial tuberosity
• Piriformis


  • Passes through greater sciatic foramen
• Gluteus medius


  • Originates at the ilium and attaches to the greater trochanter
  • Hip abductor
• Gluteus minimus


  • Originates at the ilium and attaches to the greater trochanter
  • Hip abductor
• Iliopsoas


  • Originates at iliac fossa and crest (iliacus) and T12-L5 vertebrae (psoas major) to lesser trochanter
  • Hip flexor
• Quadriceps femoris


  • Includes rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis
  • Rectus femoris attaches from AIIS to quadriceps femoris tendon
  • Allows flexion of hip and extension of knee
• Sartorius


  • Attaches from ASIS to medial tibia