Neurospine Hospital & Revive Critical Care
ORTHOPEDICS
An orthopedist is a medical specialty focusing on injuries and diseases affecting your musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, joints and soft tissues). Although this type of doctor is a surgeon, they often help people get relief with nonsurgical therapies.
Orthopedics is a branch of medicine that focuses on the care of the musculoskeletal system. This system consists of muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons.
A person who specializes in orthopedics is known as an orthopedist. Orthopedists use surgical and nonsurgical approaches to treat musculoskeletal issues, such as sports injuries, joint pain, and back problems.
Treatment options
In addition to in-office treatments, a person’s orthopedist may recommend one or more of the following to treat chronic musculoskeletal conditions:
- over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications
- rehabilitation and physical therapy
- home exercise programs
- injections
- acupuncture
- mobility aids
- surgery, when other treatments fail
What does an orthopedist do?
Some orthopedic surgeons are generalists and treat a wide range of conditions. Other orthopedists choose to subspecialize. They have training in advanced treatments for specific groups of diagnoses.
Orthopedic subspecialties include:
- Foot and ankle surgery.
- Hand and upper extremity surgery.
- Joint replacement.
- Orthopedic oncology, which includes tumor and cancer care.
- Orthopedic trauma.
- Pediatric orthopedic surgery.
- Spine surgery.
- Sports medicine.