Activities of daily living

Normal daily living activity including self-care, such as eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, going to work, housekeeping duties, and leisure activities.

Acupuncture

The practice of inserting needles at specific points on meridians, or channels, to stimulate or sedate energy flow to regulate or alter body function. A branch of Chinese medicine, acupuncture is the art and science of manipulating the flow of Qi, the basic life force; and of xue, the blood, body fluids, and nourishing essences.

Biomechanics 

The principles and methods of mechanics

applied to the structure and function of the human body

Charting 

The process of keeping a written record of a client or patient. The most effective charting methods follow clinical reasoning, which emphasizes a problem-solving approach. Many systems of charting are used, but they all have similar components based on the POMR (problem-oriented medical record) and SOAP (subjective, objective, analysis/assessment, and plan).

Combining vowel 

A vowel added between two roots or a root and a suffix to make pronunciation of the word easier.

Disharmony 

Distortions in health that result when the functions or systems are neither balanced nor working optimally.
In Chinese medicine, disharmony can be created by the imbalance of the Six Pernicious Influences or the Seven Emotions.

Kinematics (kin-i-MAT-ics) 

A branch of mechanics that involves the aspects of time, space, and mass in a moving system.

Kinesiology (ki-nee-zee-OL-o-je) 

The study of movement that combines the fields of anatomy, physiology, physics, and geometry and relates them to human movement

Kinetics (ki-NET-ics) 

The forces causing movement in a system.

Mechanics 

The branch of physics dealing with the study of forces and the motion produced by their actions.

Medical terminology 

Terms used to accurately describe the human body, medical treatments and conditions and processes of health care in a science-based manner.

Motion 

A change in position with respect to some reference frame or starting point

Prefix 

A word element added to the beginning of a root to change the meaning of the word.

Qi (chee) 

Also spelled Chi, Qi refers to the life force.

Quality of life 

Individuals' perceptions of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns.

Root 

A word element that contains the basic meaning of the word.

Suffix 

A word element added to the end of a root to change the meaning of the word.

Terminology 

A vocabulary used by people involved in a specialized activity or field of work. Also, the study of the meaning of words used in a language.

Word elements 

The parts of a word: the prefix, root, and suffix.

Yin/yang 

Yin and yang are terms used to describe polar relationships. Yin/yang refers to the dynamic balance between opposing forces and the continual process of
 creation and destruction. Yin/yang reflects the natural order and duality of the whole universe and everything in it, including the individual.