What Is An Orthopedic Doctor, And How Can They Help?

3 min read

Orthopedics focuses on conditions and diseases that affect the musculoskeletal area. This includes your:

  • Bones
  • Muscles
  • Ligaments & Tendons
  • Joints
  • Nerves

Many people see an orthopedic physician when injured or have a chronic condition (e.g., arthritis or lower back discomfort).

We will discuss the role of an orthopedic physician, what they treat and how to locate the right doctor for you.

What Do Orthopedic Surgeons Do?

The term orthopedic surgeon sometimes refers to orthopedic doctors. They focus on helping you with musculoskeletal issues. There are many duties that they perform:

  • Diagnostic and treatment of conditions affecting your musculoskeletal health
  • Rehabilitation, which assists you in regaining strength, range, motion, and flexibility after injury or surgery
  • Strategies to prevent injury or prevent chronic conditions from worsening, like arthritis.

Although orthopedic doctors have an in-depth knowledge of all parts and functions of the musculoskeletal, some opt for specialized training. Here are some subspecialties of orthotics:

  • Spine
  • Hip and knee
  • Hand
  • Shoulder and elbow
  • Foot and ankle
  • Sports medicine
  • Trauma surgery

What Kind Of Conditions Can An Orthopedic Doctor Treat?

There are many conditions orthopedic doctors can treat, such as the following:

  • Bone fractures
  • Muscle strains
  • Joint pain or back pain
  • Arthritis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Tendonitis, sprains, and tears to ligaments.
  • Limb abnormalities
  • Bone cancer

What Kind Of Procedures Do They Use?

A variety of procedures and treatments are recommended by orthopedic doctors for each condition they treat.

Let’s see some of them in detail below.

Nonsurgical Treatment

These types of treatment are also known as conservative treatments. Orthopedic physicians will often recommend surgery before focusing on nonsurgical procedures.

The following are some nonsurgical treatments:

Exercises: Your Orthopedic Doctor may recommend specific exercises or stretch to help you maintain or improve strength, flexibility, or range of motion within a particular area.

The Immobilization of An Area: Occasionally, it can be helpful to reduce strain. Braces are one example of immobilization.

Medication: Your doctor may recommend certain medications to relieve symptoms such as pain and swelling. There are many over-the-counter medications that can be used to relieve symptoms like pain and swelling, such as aspirin or ibuprofen. They might also prescribe certain prescription drugs, such as Corticosteroids and anti-inflammatory medication.

Lifestyle Changes: Lifestyle changes can be assisted by your orthopedic surgeon. These changes can include modifications to your exercise, diet, or how you exercise in order to prevent further injury.

Surgical Treatments

Sometimes, a condition/injury doesn’t improve, even with conservative measures. In such cases, your doctor may recommend surgery. An example of an operation performed by an orthopedic surgeon is:

Joint repair: Joint replacement is the replacement of damaged or diseased portions of a particular joint. This is usually secondary to arthritis. You can choose to replace your knees or replace your hips.

Internal fixation: It involves placing hardware such as plates, screws, and rods to hold broken bones in the right place while they heal.

Fusion: Use Bone Graft Material and some type of internal fixation to link two bones together. The bone tissue becomes fused as the bone heals. This technique is common in the neck and -spine surgery.

Osteotomy: Osteotomy refers to a procedure that involves removing part of a bony bone and then moving it. This type may be used in the treatment of arthritis.

Soft Tissue Repair: This surgery is used for severely injured muscles, ligaments, or tendons.

You can use Colorado Advanced Orthopedics to connect with a doctor at an orthopedic surgeon near me.

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