V

vaccination injection of attenuated (i.e. live) or killed (i.e. dead) culture of a specific microorganism/its exotoxin to induce host immunity to the causative agent

vaccine preparation designed to act as disease prophylaxis

vacuole clear space within cell cytoplasm, containing foreign material

vacuum former pump-assisted device that draws air out from beneath a latex diaphragm; moulds orthotic material exactly to the positive cast, as preliminary stage in bespoke orthosis manufacture

valency combining power of an atom, determined by number of electrons in its outer shell

valgus positional variant characterized by turning outwards of a part

valgus foot see pes planus

valgus heel valgus deviation/pronation of weight-bearing heel in association with idiopathic foot deformity (e.g. rearfoot varus; tibial varum), systemic disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) or congenital deformity (e.g. calcaneovalgus foot); bisection of posterior aspect of heel is angled (in relation to ground surface) with its superior margin directed medially

valgus pad filler pad; D filler (see Table P1); clinical/orthotic pad; plantar part of pad infills/cushions plantar medial longitudinal arch; medial flange extends along medial aspect of arch; functions within shoe (in conjunction with medial heel wedge) creating degree of dynamic inversion of foot during gait

valgus rearfoot see everted rearfoot

Valleix sign see sign, Valleix’

Valsalva’s test see test, Valsalva’s

valve fold/or flap in lining of a tubular structure; prevents content reflux

vamp part of shoe upper; see Table F6

vamp wear marks see Table S5

variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease; variant CJD see disease, Creutzfeldt–Jakob

varicella chickenpox, causing marked vesicular eruptions of all skin areas, including feet

varicose eczema pruritic, eczematous, scaly patches on skin of lower (medial one-third) leg, in association with chronic venous stasis, limb oedema and poor venous return; may predate venous ulcer formation

varicose veins permanent dilation and tortuosity of leg veins; characteristic of poor venous return and compromised vein valves

varus positional variant characterized by turning inwards of a part (i.e. toward midline/sagittal plane of body)

varus heel varus rearfoot, see rearfoot varus

vasa nervosum; vasa nervorum system of nutrient blood vessels supplying nerve fibres

vasa vasorum system of nutrient blood vessels supplying blood and lymphatic vessel walls

vascular assessment clinical tests predicting lower-limb and foot vascular function, efficiency and tissue viability; e.g. blood pressures, pulses, capillary filling time, Doppler sounds, calculation of ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI), calculation of toe brachial pressure index (TBPI), absolute toe pressure, Allen’s test, Buerger’s test, pole test, Ward’s test

vascular corn see heloma vasculare; Table C14

vascular disease see disease, peripheral vascular Tables F1 and F3

vascular endothelium see tunica intima

vascular intervention surgical treatment of vascular disease, e.g. angioplasty and stenting, to improve vessel patency in vascular disease

vascular tumours capillary/arteriolar/venular hyperplasia forming a tumour; e.g. pyogenic granuloma, glomus tumour, Kaposi’s sarcoma

vascularization; neovascularization new blood vessel formation

vasculitis angiitis; blood vessel inflammation

vasoactive influencing blood vessel tone/caliber

vasoconstrictor agent inducing blood vessel narrowing (see adrenaline; nitric oxide); nicotine in cigarette smoke is a powerful vasoconstrictor and exacerbates all forms of vascular disease

vasodepressor blood pressure-lowering agent, reduces peripheral resistance/promotes peripheral vasodilatation

vasodilator agent causing dilatation of blood vessels

vasomotor agent/nerve impulse causing blood vessel constriction/dilation

vasopressin; VP see hormone

vasopressor agent/nerve causing vasoconstriction/increase in blood pressure

vasospasm; angiospasm tunica media contraction

vasospastic disorders pathological conditions characterized by spasmodic vasoconstriction, e.g. Raynaud’s disease (see Table R4)

vasovagal attack faint, i.e. transient unconsciousness due to sudden drop in blood pressure, in response to fear/fright (see syncope)

vasti collective term for anterior thigh muscles (i.e. vastus medialis, intermedius and lateralis muscles)

vastus intermedius muscle at anterior area of femur, partly fused with vasti medialis and lateralis

vastus lateralis muscle at lateral side of femur; partly fused with vastus intermedius

vastus medialis muscle at medial side of femur; partly fused with vastus intermedius

vector (1) agent (e.g. health care worker, item of equipment, insect, furnishings, air current) acting as the medium by which disease is transferred from person to person

vector (2) magnitude and direction of a composite force (i.e. resultant of several forces acting about a body)

vegetation clot, formed of blood, platelets, fibrin and (sometimes) bacteria, adherent to a diseased heart valve, contributing emboli to the circulation

vegetative reproduction reproduction by budding, not involving sexual cells

vehicle non-active part of a medicament, i.e. carrier of active ingredient; may act as an agent in its own right, e.g. 3% salicylic acid in 70% industrial methylated spirit (IMS) is used to treat tinea pedis with hyperhidrosis; both active ingredient (3% salicylic acid) and vehicle (70% IMS) have astringent/antifungal properties (Tables V1 and V2)

Table V1 Vehicles used to carry active ingredients for topical use in skin conditions

Table V2 Topical dusting powders for use on skin

vein blood vessel carrying blood back to the heart; most veins carry deoxygenated blood (note: pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood from lungs to heart)

vein valve system of folds/flaps in walls of a leg vein, assisting proximal movement of blood against gravity

Velband see softban

Velcro fastenings Velcro-covered straps used in place of laces; allows the shoe to accommodate to a foot whose dimensions alter throughout the day, e.g. oedema accumulation (see Table F10)

vena cava vein trunks carrying deoxygenated blood from the body to the right atrium

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