Terminology bank

Glossary

Plain-English definitions of the clinical, rehab and strength-and-conditioning terms and acronyms behind the research. A growing bank — new terms are added as they appear in each week's appraisals.

ACWRAcute:Chronic Workload RatioThis week's training load compared with the recent average.ACLAnterior Cruciate LigamentA key stabilising ligament inside the knee, commonly injured in sport.BFlhBiceps femoris long headThe longer, hip-crossing head of the hamstring muscle biceps femoris.BlindingKeeping people in a study unaware of who got which treatment.BFRBlood Flow Restriction trainingLight-load training with a cuff partially limiting blood flow to build strength.BFRTBlood Flow Restriction TrainingExercising with a limb cuff that partially restricts blood flow to boost strength/hypertrophy gains at low loads.CIConfidence IntervalThe plausible range around a study's result.CMJCountermovement JumpA standard vertical jump test of lower-body power and readiness.DOMSDelayed-Onset Muscle SorenessThe muscle soreness that peaks a day or two after unfamiliar exercise.Eccentric contractionA muscle producing force while it lengthens — like lowering a weight.EMGElectromyographyA measure of the electrical activity a muscle produces when it works.FWCIField-Weighted Citation ImpactHow often a paper is cited compared with similar papers in its field.GPSGPSSatellite tracking units that measure how far and fast athletes move.GRFGround Reaction ForceThe force the ground pushes back with when you move on it.HVHallux valgusA deformity where the big toe angles inward toward the second toe.HSRHigh-Speed RunningDistance covered above a set speed threshold, a key training-load marker.LOPLimb Occlusion PressureThe minimum cuff pressure needed to fully stop arterial blood flow into a limb.LSILimb Symmetry IndexHow the injured limb compares with the uninjured one, as a percentage.HRmaxMaximal Heart RateThe highest heart rate you can reach during all-out effort.VO2maxMaximal Oxygen UptakeThe most oxygen your body can use during hard exercise.MCIDMinimal Clinically Important DifferenceThe smallest change a patient would actually notice or value.NMESNeuromuscular Electrical StimulationElectrical current used to make a muscle contract, often in rehab.1RMOne-Repetition MaximumThe most weight you can lift once with good form.PROMPatient-Reported Outcome MeasureA questionnaire capturing the patient's own view of their health.PeriodisationPlanning training in phases to peak at the right time and manage fatigue.RCTRandomised Controlled TrialA study that randomly assigns people to treatments to test cause and effect.ROMRange of MotionHow far a joint can move.RPERating of Perceived ExertionA self-reported score of how hard exercise feels.RTSReturn to SportThe staged process of getting an athlete back to competition after injury.Risk of BiasHow likely a study's design flaws are to have distorted its result.sRPESession RPESession load estimated by multiplying perceived effort by duration.SMDStandardised Mean DifferenceA way to express how big an effect is, on a common scale.SBFSuture Button FixationA flexible implant technique that fixes ligament or joint injuries using button-and-suture constructs instead of rigid hardware.TendinopathyA persistent, load-related tendon pain and dysfunction.