OET Vocabulary, Word of the Day
Trunk – Meaning and Usage in Medical English
Nov
👁 What Does “Trunk” Mean?
The trunk refers to the central part of the human body, excluding the head and limbs.
It includes the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis — essentially everything between the neck and the hips.
The word comes from Latin truncus, meaning “the main stem of a tree.”
In modern medicine, trunk is used as a neutral anatomical term, particularly in physiotherapy, rehabilitation, orthopedics, and nursing documentation.
🔍 Clinical Usage
In clinical settings, trunk is used to describe movement, muscle groups, posture, injuries, and physical assessment findings. You’ll see it in:
- physiotherapy and occupational therapy notes
- nursing assessments
- rehabilitation plans
- discharge summaries
- orthopedic and neurology documentation
Healthcare professionals use the term when discussing core stability, posture, balance, and mobility, because the trunk plays a central role in all of these functions.
Common collocations include:
- trunk rotation
- trunk flexion / extension
- trunk muscles
- trunk control
- trunk stability
Here’s a natural clinical example:
“The patient demonstrated improved trunk stability during sitting balance exercises.”
→ Meaning: The patient could maintain posture more effectively while seated.
🎥 Watch the Short Video
👉 Watch our 30-second clip: Trunk – Learn how to pronounce it and remember how it’s used in real medical English.
🌍 Study with OET Bank
Strong English skills are essential for success in healthcare communication.
At OET Bank, we strengthen your medical English through our original learning materials,
designed specifically for international healthcare professionals who want to use English confidently in real clinical settings.
👉 Discover OET Bank learning materials
https://oet-bank.com/shop/
