The main function of bones is to form a skeleton to support and protect the body and serve as storage areas for
mineral salts, especially calcium and phosphorus. Joints, also called articulations, are the places where two bones con-
nect. Joints vary widely in the degree of movement they afford. Some joints are constructed in such a way that no
movement is possible, such as suture joints between the skull bones. Most joints, however, allow a wide range of
motion, such as finger, elbow, and knee joints. Because bones cannot move without the help of muscles, muscle tissue
must provide contraction.
Anatomy and Physiology Overview • CHAPTER 10 455WORD ELEMENTS
This section introduces combining forms (CFs) related to the muscles of the body. Included are
key suffixes; prefixes are defined in the right-hand column as needed. Review the following table
and pronounce each word in the word analysis column aloud before you begin to work the
frames.
Word Element Meaning Word Analysis
Combining Forms
Muscles and Related Structures
fasci/o band, fascia fasci/o/plasty (FĂSH-ē-ō-plăs-tē): surgical repair of fascia
(fibrous -plasty: surgical repair
membrane
supporting and
separating
muscles)
fibr/o fiber, fibrous fibr/oma (fī-BRŌ-mă): tumor of fibrous tissue
tissue -oma: tumor
leiomy/o smooth muscle leiomy/oma (lī-ō-mī-Ō-mă): tumor of smooth muscle
(visceral) -oma: tumor
lumb/o loins (lower lumb/o/cost/al (lŭm-bō-KŎS-tăl): pertaining to the lumbar region and the ribs
back) cost: ribs
-al: pertaining to
muscul/o muscle muscul/ar (MŬS-kū-lăr): pertaining to muscles
-ar: pertaining to
my/o my/o/rrhexis (mī-or-ĔK-sĭs): rupture of a muscle
-rrhexis: rupture
ten/o tendon ten/o/tomy (tĕn-ŎT-ō-mē): incision of a tendon- tomy: incision
Tenotomy is performed to correct muscle imbalance, such as in the correction of
strabismus of the eye or clubfoot.
tend/o tend/o/plasty (TĔN-dō-plăs-tē): surgical repair of a tendon
-plasty: surgical repair
tendin/o tendin/itis (tĕn-dĭn-Ī-tĭs): inflammation of a tendon, usually resulting from
strain; also called tendonitis
-itis: inflammation
Tendinitis usually results from a strain.
Continued