Degenerative

Non inflammatory, subject to wear and tear, atrophic

Derma

Skin

Desault dressing

An elastic bandage for the temporary immobilisation of the shoulder and the arm

Destruction

Means the destruction of tissue or organs, usually through injury or inflammation.

Deuserband

Rubber band to train the muscles

Dia

Prefix meaning through, between, apart

Diagnosis

Recognising and putting a name to (a disease or illness)

Diaphysis

Centre section of a long bone, shaft

Differential diagnosis

The demarcation of a disease within a group of diseases with similar symptoms

Disinfection

A measure to reduce the number of germs and to kill pathogens (disease-causing agents) on surfaces, e.g. a patient's skin in the area where surgery is carried out, the surgeon's hands and lower arms

Dislocation

Change in position, shift

Distal

Parts removed from the trunk

Distorsion

An excessively pulled muscle. This is an injury to the joints that is caused by going beyond the normal scope of movement, e.g. going over on or twisting one's ankle, and is often linked with a lengthening of the ligamentous apparatus and swelling.

Doping

This is the illegal taking of drugs in sport for the purposes of increasing athletic performance

Dorsal

Backwards, on the reverse, at the back

Dosage

The amount of medicine administered

Drainage

The drainage of wound fluid or blood from the body

Draw sign

When the lower leg slides to an abnormal degree against the femur when the knee is bent. Occurs in the case of a torn cruciate ligament at the knee.

Dysplasia

Malformation, maldevelopment, inadequate shaping (e.g. of the hip joint cup)