Glossary beginning with A
- Abduct
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To move a limb away from the centre of the body
- Adduct
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To move a limb towards the centre of the body
- Aerobic capacity
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The ability to process oxygen for conversion to energy
- Amino acid pool
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A collective term for the "free" amino acids (ie not forming proteins) circulating around the body and available for use by the body
- Anabolic hormone
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Any chemical messenger molecule in the body that promotes tissue (and particularly muscle) synthesis
- Anabolic steroids
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A family of synthetic drugs derived from the male sex hormone testosterone and which are used to promote muscle growth
Synonyms: Anabolic steroid, anabolic androgenic steroids, AAS - Antagonist/agonist muscles
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An agonist is the muscle that contracts to allow movement, and the antagonist is the opposite muscle that normally relaxes to allow this movement
Synonyms: Antagonist/agonist muscle - Anterior Cruciate Ligament
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One of two vertical bone-to-bone bands that stabilise the knee
Synonyms: ACL - Antibody
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A molecule produced by the immune system that is designed to attack and overcome a foreign "invader" (antigen)
- Antigen
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A molecule that can induce the formation of an antibody (see above)
- Asymptotic progression
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The record for an event falls along a curve that flattens out gradually with time
- Atrial fibrillation
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A rapid heart rate in which the upper heart chambers (atria) are stimulated to contract in a very disorganised and abnormal manner
- Autonomic nervous system
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Governs bodily functions that are not under conscious control - eg heartbeat
- Avulsed tooth
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A tooth that has been completely knocked out of the mouth, with both tooth and root intact
