contracture
拘縮
解説 Definition
筋肉や腱が短縮して硬くなり、関節の運動が制限される医学的状態。外傷、火傷、脳卒中による麻痺、または長期の不動化によって起こります。
Contracture is a medical condition in which a muscle, joint, or other body tissue becomes permanently tight or shortened. This can reduce movement and make the affected body part hard to straighten or use normally.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
contract を「契約」ではなく動詞の「縮む・縮ませる」で思い出すと入りやすい語。contraction が一時的な“収縮”なのに対し、contracture はその縮みが固定化して、筋肉や腱が硬くなり、関節の可動域まで制限される状態を指す。医療文脈では muscle, tendon, joint, range of motion と一緒に出やすい。atrophy（萎縮）=やせる、contracture=短く固まって伸びない、と分けると混同しにくい。
Think of the verb `contract` meaning "become shorter or tighter," not the noun about business. `Contracture` is related to that physical shrinking or tightening becoming fixed. A useful contrast is `contraction`, which can be temporary, while `contracture` sounds more lasting and medical. Link it with words like `muscle`, `joint`, and `range of motion`.
例文
The patient developed contracture after prolonged immobility from the stroke.
患者は脳卒中による長期の不動化の後、拘縮が生じた。
Regular physical therapy helps prevent contracture formation.
定期的な理学療法は拘縮の形成を防ぐのに役立つ。
Severe burn contracture required surgical intervention.
重度の熱傷による拘縮は外科的介入が必要だった。
contracture の類義語・関連語
contracture の語源・成り立ち Etymology
contractureはラテン語contrahere「引き寄せる」にさかのぼり、con-「共に」+ tract「引く」+ -ure「状態」です。つまり「組織が引き縮められた状態」が原義で、筋や関節が固まって伸びない医学的意味に直結します。contractやretractも同じtract系です。
Contracture comes from Latin contrahere, meaning "to draw together." Its roots are con- "together" and trahere "to draw," with the noun ending -ure showing a resulting state or condition. The core idea is something being pulled inward or tightened, which later gave the medical sense of lasting shortening or stiffening. Related English words include contract and retract.
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