Acrocontracture

/ˌækroʊkənˈtræktʃər/ noun

Definition

A medical condition where the extremities (fingers, toes) become permanently bent or contracted.

Etymology

From Greek akron (extremity) + Latin contractura (contraction). The medical term combines anatomical position with the pathological condition of permanent muscle shortening.

Kelly Says

Acrocontractures often develop in stroke patients or those with severe arthritis, and they illustrate a tragic paradox: the same muscles that give us free movement can trap us in permanent positions.

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