Orthopaedics is the medical speciality that focuses on injuries and diseases of your body’s musculoskeletal system. This complex system includes your bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves and allows you to move, work, and be active. Once devoted to the care of children with spine and limb deformities, orthopaedists now care for patients of all ages, from newborns with clubfeet to young athletes requiring arthroscopic surgery to older people with arthritis. And anybody can break a bone.
Orthopaedic surgeons manage special problems of the musculoskeletal system. This involves:
Diagnosis of your injury or disorder
Treatment with medication, exercise, surgery or other treatment plans
Rehabilitation by recommending exercises or physical therapy to restore movement, strength and function
Prevention with information and treatment plans to prevent injury or slow the progression of diseases
While orthopaedic surgeons are familiar with all aspects of the musculoskeletal system, many orthopaedists specialize in certain areas, such as the foot and ankle, spine, hip or knee. They may also choose to focus on specific fields like paediatrics, trauma or sports medicine. Some orthopaedic surgeons may specialize in several areas.
Treatment
Orthopaedic surgeons treat many musculoskeletal conditions without surgery, by using medication, exercise and other rehabilitative or alternative therapies. For most orthopaedic diseases and injuries there is more than one form of treatment. If necessary, he/she may also recommend surgery if you do not respond to other treatments.
Surgical Treatment
Orthopaedic surgeons perform numerous types of surgeries. Common procedures include:
Arthroscopy — a procedure using special cameras and equipment to visualize, diagnose and treat problems inside a joint.
Fusion — a “welding” process by which bones are fused together with bone grafts and internal devices (such as metal rods) to heal into a single solid bone.
Internal Fixation — a method to hold the broken pieces of bone in proper position with metal plates, pins or screws while the bone is healing.
Joint Replacement (partial, total and revision) — when an arthritic or damaged joint is removed and replaced with an artificial joint called a prosthesis.
Osteotomy — the correction of bone deformity by cutting and repositioning the bone.
Soft tissue repair — the mending of soft tissue, such as torn tendons or ligaments.