top of page
B
Kinesiology Dictionary
Please use this dictionary of professional kinesiology terms and definitions to help you learn. New terms and definitions will be added on a regular basis for you to learn from. I have decided to extend the dictionary to include terms and definitions from sciences that relate to and support being a kinesiologist or any other healthcare professional. Knowledge itself is power - use the dictionary to empower yourself. Please use the letters in blue below as links to get to the first letter of the term you are looking for. You will be transferred to another page containing those terms and definitions accordingly. Enjoy!
Term | Definition | Associated Field |
|---|---|---|
Blood pressure | Force exerted by blood on arterial walls | Physiology / Pathophysiology |
Brain death | Irreversible cessation of brain activity | Pathophysiology / ACLS |
Breath-holding test | Measure of respiratory capacity | Exercise Testing / Physiology |
Brain injury | Damage to brain tissue | Pathophysiology / Sport Injury |
Brain cortex | Outer layer of the brain | Anatomy / Neuroscience |
Biodynamics | Study of forces in biological systems | Biomechanics / Physics |
Botulinum toxin | Neurotoxin causing muscle paralysis | Pathophysiology / Pharmacology |
Blood lipids | Fats present in the bloodstream | Nutrition / Physiology |
Biceps femoris | Muscle of the posterior thigh | Anatomy / Biomechanics |
Blood volume | Total amount of blood in body | Physiology / Pathophysiology |
Buffers | Substances maintaining pH stability | Chemistry / Physiology |
Blood pH | Measure of acidity/alkalinity in blood | Physiology / Pathophysiology |
Bioinformatics | Application of computational tools to biology | Genetics / Biology |
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) | Measure of alcohol in bloodstream | Physiology / Pathophysiology |
Bronchitis | Inflammation of the bronchi | Pathophysiology / Physiology |
Body awareness | Conscious perception of body position | Motor Behavior / Psychology |
Bulbourethral gland | Gland producing pre-ejaculate fluid | Anatomy / Physiology |
Blood doping | Illegally increasing red blood cell count | Exercise Physiology / Ethics |
Brain hemorrhage | Bleeding within the brain | Pathophysiology / First Aid |
Bursitis | Inflammation of a bursa | Sport Injury / Pathophysiology |
Bronchopneumonia | Infection of the bronchi and lungs | Pathophysiology / Medicine |
Blood flow | Movement of blood through vessels | Physiology / Biomechanics |
Bone mineral content | Amount of mineral in bones | Nutrition / Exercise Physiology |
Body temperature | Measurement of internal heat | Physiology / Pathophysiology |
Body temperature measurement | Assessment of internal body heat | Physiology / First Aid |
Bronchoscopy | Procedure to view inside the airways | Medicine / First Aid |
Breathing rate | Number of breaths per minute | Physiology / Exercise Physiology |
Body temperature regulation | Physiological control of heat balance | Physiology / Exercise Physiology |
Bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome | Alternating slow and fast heart rate | ECG / Pathophysiology |
Body alignment | Correct posture of body segments | Biomechanics / Exercise Physiology |
Body composition | Proportion of fat, muscle, and bone in body | Exercise Physiology / Nutrition |
Bulging disk | Protrusion of intervertebral disc | Pathophysiology / Sport Injury |
Biochemistry | Study of chemical processes in living organisms | Biochemistry / Biology |
Body mechanics | Principles of movement to prevent injury | Biomechanics / Exercise Physiology |
Buccinator | Muscle of the cheek | Anatomy / Biomechanics |
Bradyapnea | Abnormally slow breathing | Physiology / Pathophysiology |
Biopsy | Sample of tissue for diagnostic examination | Pathophysiology / Medicine |
Bone age | Assessment of skeletal maturity | Medicine / Exercise Testing |
Bone scan | Imaging test detecting bone abnormalities | Pathophysiology / Medicine |
Bursae | Fluid-filled sacs reducing friction at joints | Anatomy / Biomechanics |
Brain lateralization | Specialization of brain hemispheres | Neuroscience / Psychology |
Bronchoconstriction | Narrowing of the airways | Physiology / Pathophysiology |
Basophil | White blood cell involved in immune response | Biology / Immunology |
Brain tumor grading | Classification of tumor severity | Pathophysiology / Medicine |
Brainstem reflex | Automatic response mediated by brainstem | Neuroscience / Physiology |
Body weight | Total mass of an individual | Nutrition / Exercise Physiology |
Biomechanics | Study of movement mechanics in biological systems | Biomechanics / Exercise Physiology |
Buffers system | Mechanism regulating pH in body fluids | Chemistry / Physiology |
Brachial plexus | Network of nerves supplying upper limb | Anatomy / Neuroscience |
Brain plasticity assessment | Measurement of brain adaptability | Neuroscience / Psychology |
Brainstem | Region connecting brain to spinal cord | Anatomy / Neuroscience |
Brain aneurysm | Abnormal dilation of brain blood vessel | Pathophysiology / Medicine |
Brain wave | Electrical activity in the brain | Neuroscience / Psychology |
Brain plasticity | Ability of brain to reorganize after injury | Neuroscience / Psychology |
Bone tissue | Connective tissue forming bones | Anatomy / Physiology |
Bone remodeling | Continuous replacement of bone tissue | Physiology / Exercise Physiology |
Body fat percentage | Proportion of body mass composed of fat | Nutrition / Exercise Physiology |
Bone marrow | Soft tissue inside bones producing blood cells | Anatomy / Physiology |
Brain tumor | Abnormal growth of brain cells | Pathophysiology / Neuroscience |
Biomechanical analysis | Study of movement forces on the body | Biomechanics / Motion Analysis |
Balance | Ability to maintain body equilibrium | Biomechanics / Exercise Physiology |
Biochemical marker | Substance indicating a biological process | Biochemistry / Pathophysiology |
Buccal | Relating to the cheek | Anatomy / Physiology |
Bronchi | Main air passages to lungs | Anatomy / Physiology |
Bioavailability | Proportion of nutrient absorbed and utilized by body | Nutrition / Physiology |
Brachial artery | Major artery of the upper arm | Anatomy / Physiology |
Beta-oxidation | Fatty acid breakdown for energy | Biochemistry / Exercise Physiology |
Bradykinesia | Slowness of movement | Neurology / Motor Behavior |
Blood lactate | Lactic acid concentration in blood | Exercise Physiology / Biochemistry |
Bradycardia | Slow heart rate | ECG / Physiology |
Biosynthesis | Production of complex molecules from simpler ones | Biochemistry / Physiology |
Bone spur | Bony growth on normal bone | Pathophysiology / Sport Injury |
Bone fracture | Break in the bone structure | Sport Injury / First Aid |
Blood sugar | Concentration of glucose in blood | Nutrition / Physiology |
Bulimia nervosa | Eating disorder with binge-purge behavior | Psychology / Nutrition |
Body mass index (BMI) | Ratio of weight to height squared | Nutrition / Exercise Physiology |
Biceps brachii | Muscle of the upper arm responsible for elbow flexion | Anatomy / Biomechanics |
B-vitamin | Group of water-soluble vitamins important for metabolism | Nutrition / Biochemistry |
Bulimia | Eating disorder with binge and purge cycles | Psychology / Nutrition |
Blood culture | Test to detect infection in blood | Pathophysiology / Medicine |
Brain imaging | Techniques visualizing brain structure/function | Medicine / Neuroscience |
Biostatistics | Application of statistics to biological data | Biology / Sociology |
Blood donor | Person giving blood for transfusion | Medicine / First Aid |
Beta-blocker | Medication reducing heart rate and blood pressure | Pharmacology / Physiology |
Bone stress injury | Overuse injury causing bone microdamage | Sport Injury / Exercise Physiology |
Bone scan imaging | Nuclear imaging to detect bone disorders | Pathophysiology / Medicine |
Bronchopulmonary segment | Functional subdivision of the lung | Anatomy / Physiology |
Blood transfusion | Transfer of blood into a patient | Medicine / First Aid |
Blood gas | Measurement of oxygen and carbon dioxide in blood | Physiology / Pathophysiology |
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) | Energy expenditure at rest | Nutrition / Physiology |
Bone density | Mass of bone tissue per unit volume | Anatomy / Exercise Physiology |
Bronchodilator therapy | Treatment widening the airways | Pathophysiology / Medicine |
Bronchodilator | Medication that widens airways | Pharmacology / Physiology |
Blood clot | Aggregation of blood components forming a mass | Pathophysiology / First Aid |
Brain function | Activities of the brain, including cognition | Neuroscience / Psychology |
Bone fracture healing | Biological process of bone repair | Physiology / Sport Injury |
Blood pressure cuff | Device measuring blood pressure | Physiology / First Aid |
Blood-brain barrier | Protective barrier separating blood from brain | Anatomy / Physiology |
Biofeedback | Technique for controlling physiological functions | Psychology / Exercise Physiology |
Blood glucose | Concentration of sugar in blood | Nutrition / Physiology |
Bolus | Mass of food swallowed | Nutrition / Physiology |
bottom of page