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Physiotherapy vocabulary · Assessment and Examination

Swelling

Meaning in physiotherapy, with examples

/ˈswɛlɪŋ/nounCore term

In physiotherapy, swelling means: An increase in the size of a part of the body caused by extra fluid in the tissues, often after an injury, an operation or inflammation.

In Turkish: şişlik, ödem

How it is used

The everyday word that both patients and staff use; the medical word is oedema (US edema). Physiotherapists measure swelling with a tape measure, note whether it is getting better or worse and give advice such as raising the limb. Swelling 'goes down' or 'settles'.

Example sentences

  1. The swelling around your knee has gone down a lot since last week.

  2. There is mild swelling over the outside of the ankle.

Common collocations

  • reduce swelling
  • the swelling goes down
  • mild swelling
  • measure swelling
  • joint swelling
  • inflammationThe body's natural response to injury or infection, which brings redness, heat, swelling and pain to the affected area.
  • cryotherapyTreatment with cold, such as an ice pack, a cold compress or ice massage, often used to reduce pain and swelling after an injury.
  • sprainAn injury to a ligament, the strong band of tissue that joins bones together, usually caused by suddenly twisting or overstretching a joint.
  • tendernessPain or discomfort that appears when a particular area of the body is pressed or touched.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Assessment and Examination

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.