Dislocation vs. Displacement — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 17, 2024
Dislocation refers to the misalignment of bones at a joint, often causing pain and immobility, while displacement denotes the movement of an object from its original position, frequently used in physics and engineering contexts.
Difference Between Dislocation and Displacement
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Dislocation typically refers to a medical condition where bones are forced out of their normal positions within a joint. This condition can cause significant pain, swelling, and immobility, often requiring medical intervention to correct. On the other hand, displacement is a term used more broadly, especially in physics and engineering, to describe the movement of an object from one position to another.
In a medical context, a dislocation involves a joint, such as the shoulder or hip, where the bones no longer align correctly, potentially damaging surrounding ligaments and tissues. Displacement, however, might describe a variety of scenarios, from the shift of tectonic plates in geology to the movement of a car in mechanics.
Dislocations often occur due to trauma, such as falls or impacts, leading to an abrupt and forceful movement of the bones. Displacement can result from both gradual processes, like erosion, and sudden forces, such as explosions, making it a more versatile term.
In treatment, dislocation usually requires repositioning of the bones, sometimes surgery, and rehabilitation to restore function. Displacement might involve realigning parts in machinery or recalculating positions in scientific experiments, showing its varied applications.
Dislocation has specific implications in orthopedics, focusing on joint health and mobility. Displacement, in contrast, applies to a broader spectrum, including physics where it measures change in position without concern for the path taken.
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While dislocation disrupts the normal articulation of joints, causing immediate and acute issues, displacement may or may not involve immediate effects, depending on the context, such as structural stability in buildings or motion in vehicles.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Misalignment of bones at a joint
Movement of an object from its original position
Context
Medical (orthopedics)
Broad (physics, engineering, geology)
Cause
Trauma, impact
Various (gradual processes, sudden forces)
Treatment/Response
Medical intervention, surgery
Realignment, recalculations
Specificity
Joints and bones
Any objects or positions
Compare with Definitions
Dislocation
A condition where bones are out of place in a joint.
The skier suffered a shoulder dislocation during the fall.
Displacement
The enforced departure of people from their homes.
War caused the displacement of thousands of families.
Dislocation
The act of being forced out of the usual position.
The earthquake caused the dislocation of many buildings.
Displacement
The change in position of an object.
The scientist calculated the displacement of the pendulum.
Dislocation
Disruption in normal arrangement or state.
The company faced a dislocation of its supply chain.
Displacement
The act of displacing.
Dislocation
A state of disorder due to being out of place.
The office move resulted in a temporary dislocation of staff.
Displacement
The condition of having been displaced.
Dislocation
A displacement of a part, particularly in anatomy.
The dislocation of the hip joint required surgery.
Displacement
(Chemistry) A reaction in which an atom, radical, ion, or molecule replaces another in a compound.
Dislocation
In materials science, a dislocation or Taylor's dislocation is a linear crystallographic defect or irregularity within a crystal structure that contains an abrupt change in the arrangement of atoms. The movement of dislocations allow atoms to slide over each other at low stress levels and is known as glide or slip.
Displacement
A vector or the magnitude of a vector from the initial position to a subsequent position assumed by a body.
Dislocation
The act or process of dislocating or the state of having been dislocated
"the severe emotional dislocation experienced by millions of immigrants ... who were forced to separate themselves forever from the ... circle of people and places on which they had depended" (Doris Kearns Goodwin).
Displacement
The weight or volume of a fluid displaced by a floating body, used especially as a measurement of the weight or bulk of ships.
Dislocation
Displacement of a body part, especially the temporary displacement of a bone from its normal position.
Displacement
The volume displaced by a single stroke of a piston in an engine or pump.
Dislocation
(Chemistry) An imperfection in the crystal structure of a metal or other solid resulting from an absence of an atom or atoms in one or more layers of a crystal.
Displacement
The relative movement between the two sides of a fault.
Dislocation
(Geology) See displacement.
Displacement
The distance between the two sides of a fault. Also called dislocation.
Dislocation
The act of displacing, or the state of being displaced.
Displacement
(Psychiatry) A psychological defense mechanism in which there is an unconscious shift of emotions, affect, or desires from the original object to a more acceptable or immediate substitute.
Dislocation
(geology) The displacement of parts of rocks or portions of strata from the situation which they originally occupied.
Displacement
The act of displacing, or the state of being displaced; a putting out of place.
Dislocation
The act of dislocating, or putting out of joint; also, the condition of being thus displaced.
Displacement
The quantity of a liquid displaced by a floating body, as water by a ship, the weight of the displaced liquid being equal to that of the displacing body.
Dislocation
(materials science) A linear defect in a crystal lattice. Because dislocations can shift within the crystal lattice, they tend to weaken the material, compared to a perfect crystal.
Displacement
(chemistry) The process of extracting soluble substances from organic material and the like, whereby a quantity of saturated solvent is displaced, or removed, for another quantity of the solvent.
Dislocation
(grammar) A sentence structure in which a constituent that could otherwise be either an argument or an adjunct of a clause occurs outside of and adjacent to the clause boundaries.
Displacement
(fencing) Moving the target to avoid an attack; dodging.
Dislocation
The act of displacing, or the state of being displaced.
Displacement
(physics) A vector quantity which denotes distance with a directional component.
Dislocation
The displacement of parts of rocks or portions of strata from the situation which they originally occupied. Slips, faults, and the like, are dislocations.
Displacement
(grammar) The capability of a communication system to refer to things that are not present (that existed or will exist at another time, or that exist at another location).
Dislocation
The act of dislocating, or putting out of joint; also, the condition of being thus displaced.
Displacement
The act of displacing, or the state of being displaced; a putting out of place.
Unnecessary displacement of funds.
The displacement of the sun by parallax.
Dislocation
An event that results in a displacement or discontinuity
Displacement
The quantity of anything, as water, displaced by a floating body, as by a ship, the weight of the displaced liquid being equal to that of the displacing body.
Dislocation
The act of disrupting an established order so it fails to continue;
The social dislocations resulting from government policies
His warning came after the breakdown of talks in London
Displacement
The process of extracting soluble substances from organic material and the like, whereby a quantity of saturated solvent is displaced, or removed, for another quantity of the solvent.
Dislocation
A displacement of a part (especially a bone) from its normal position (as in the shoulder or the vertebral column)
Displacement
An event in which something is displaced without rotation
Displacement
Act of taking the place of another especially using underhanded tactics
Displacement
The act of uniform movement
Displacement
(chemistry) a reaction in which an elementary substance displaces and sets free a constituent element from a compound
Displacement
(psychiatry) a defense mechanism that transfers affect or reaction from the original object to some more acceptable one
Displacement
To move something from its natural environment
Displacement
Act of removing from office or employment
Displacement
The act of moving something from its place.
The displacement of water by the boat was measured.
Displacement
The amount or degree of being displaced.
The displacement of the bridge due to the flood was significant.
Displacement
The measurement of the volume of fluid displaced by an object.
The ship’s displacement was calculated to ensure safety.
Common Curiosities
What is required to treat a dislocation?
Medical intervention, which may include repositioning, surgery, and rehabilitation, is required.
How does displacement differ from dislocation?
Displacement involves any object moving from its original position, whereas dislocation specifically involves bones and joints.
Is displacement only used in physics?
No, displacement is used in various fields including engineering, geology, and everyday contexts.
What is an example of displacement in everyday life?
Moving a piece of furniture from one room to another is an example of displacement.
Can dislocation occur without injury?
No, dislocation typically results from trauma or impact.
What is a dislocation in medical terms?
Dislocation refers to bones being forced out of their normal positions in a joint.
Can displacement be gradual?
Yes, displacement can occur gradually, such as through erosion.
Does dislocation always cause pain?
Yes, dislocation usually causes significant pain and swelling.
What fields use the term displacement?
Physics, engineering, geology, and many other fields use the term displacement.
Are dislocation and displacement synonymous?
No, they refer to different types of movement and contexts.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
