C1 · 43 words

Physiotherapy

Examining, treating and building up load again, in the words used in a German practice.

The saying at the end of this list could hang over the door of any German practice. Wer rastet, der rostet: whoever rests, rusts. Rasten is not the everyday sich ausruhen but the pause on a long walk, the word inside die Raststätte on the motorway; rosten is what a garden gate does in the rain. The two verbs differ by one vowel, which is why the line sticks. English says « use it or lose it », which states the rule; the German picture is mechanical: a joint is a hinge, and a hinge nobody moves seizes up. It is said to patients after an operation, to pensioners, and with a grin by pensioners about themselves. It also sums up where the vocabulary below is heading: away from die Schonhaltung, the posture that shields a painful part, and on through die Teilbelastung to die Vollbelastung, load built up again step by step.

The words

Verb (10)

abtastento palpate, to feel with the handsVerbC1

Sie tastet die Wirbelsäule Segment für Segment ab.She works her way down the spine, feeling each segment in turn.

Separable: tastet ab.

anwinkelnto bend (an arm or a leg)VerbC1

Legen Sie sich auf den Rücken und winkeln Sie beide Beine an.Lie on your back and bend both knees.

Separable: winkelt an.

abspreizento move out to the side, to abductVerbC1

Spreizen Sie den Arm langsam seitlich ab, bis der Schmerz einsetzt.Raise your arm slowly out to the side until the pain starts.

Separable: spreizt ab.

durchstreckento straighten fully (a knee or an elbow)VerbC1

Im Liegen lässt sich das Knie noch nicht ganz durchstrecken.Lying down, she still can’t straighten the knee all the way.

Separable: streckt durch.

ausstrahlento radiate (of pain)VerbC1

Der Schmerz strahlt vom Gesäß bis in die Wade aus.The pain radiates from the buttock down into the calf.

Separable: strahlt aus. Where it goes takes in with the accusative.

sich verhebento strain oneself liftingVerbC1

Beim Umzug hat er sich an der Waschmaschine verhoben.He did his back in lifting the washing machine during the move.

Reflexive, with haben: ich habe mich verhoben. Irregular: verhob, verhoben.

umknickento go over on one’s ankleVerbC1

Auf dem Kopfsteinpflaster ist sie mit dem rechten Fuß umgeknickt.She went over on her right ankle on the cobbles.

Separable, with sein: ich bin umgeknickt.

mobilisierento mobilise (a joint or a patient)VerbC1

Am Tag nach der Operation wird der Patient schon mobilisiert.The patient is up and about the day after the operation.

Said of a stiff joint and of a patient got out of bed.

einrenkento put (a joint) back in placeVerbC1

Viele Patienten hoffen, dass man ihnen den Rücken einfach wieder einrenkt.Many patients hope someone can simply put their back in place again.

Separable: renkt ein. Figuratively: das renkt sich wieder ein, it will sort itself out.

kräftigento strengthenVerbC1

Diese Übung kräftigt vor allem die seitliche Bauchmuskulatur.This exercise mainly works the obliques.

Regular. The noun is die Kräftigung.

This list belongs to Free time and what people do in it — 22 lists and 756 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 43 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.