Portfolio

This system comprises 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.

This article provides an overview of orthopedics. It outlines the different conditions that orthopedists treat and explains what a person can expect during an orthopedic appointment.

The article also covers the qualifications necessary to become an orthopedist.

What is orthopedics?
Share on Pinterest
Studio Firma/Stocksy

Orthopedics, also known as orthopedic surgery, is a branch of medicine that focuses on the care of the skeletal system and its interconnecting parts. These parts include the following:

bones
muscles
joints
tendons
ligaments
nerves

There are generally two types of orthopedists: surgical and nonsurgical. The former are called orthopedic surgeons, while nonsurgical orthopedists include physiatrists and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists.

An orthopedist often works as part of a larger orthopedic treatment team. This team may include:

physician assistants
nurse practitioners
occupational and physical therapists
athletic trainers

What do orthopedists treat? 

Orthopedists treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions. These conditions may be present from birth, or they may result from an injury or age-related wear and tear.

Below are some of the most common conditions that an orthopedist may treat:

joint pain from arthritis
bone fractures
soft tissue injuries, which are those that affect muscles, tendons, and ligaments
back pain
neck pain
shoulder pain and problems, such as bursitis
carpal tunnel syndrome
overuse and sports injuries, including sprains, tendinitis, meniscus tears, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
congenital conditions, such as clubfoot and scoliosis
bone cancer
Questions to ask an orthopedic doctor

A person may wish to ask the following questions:

What nonoperative treatments are available?
Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
What surgical methods will the surgeon use?
What are the risks or potential complications of the procedure?
What are the benefits of the procedure?
How long will the benefits last?
What is the success rate of this procedure?
What will I need to do to get the best results?
How and where will the surgeon perform the procedure?
If complications occur, how will the surgeon fix them?

How do you choose an orthopedic surgeon?

A vital decision that a person has to make before an orthopedic surgery is choosing a licensed and accredited surgeon from a competent professional association.

It is important to check that a surgeon:

is a graduate of an accredited medical school
has completed a residency in orthopedic surgery
has certification with the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS) or the American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery (AOBOS)
has the experience and sufficient professional training to perform the procedure
works only in accredited medical facilities
adheres to medical education requirements, standards in patient safety, and a strict code of ethics

A person can use the ABOS and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) websites to find an orthopedic surgeon.

What to expect during an appointment

During the first appointment, the orthopedist will work to diagnose the person’s condition. This can include conducting a physical examination and taking X-rays.

In some instances, the doctor may carry out in-office tests or order additional tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Diagnosis

The process of diagnosis will also involve the orthopedist:

asking about the person’s symptoms
reviewing the person’s medical record to gather more information about their medical history and overall health
carrying out a physical examination
reviewing any X-rays that the person underwent before the appointment

The orthopedist may also order additional diagnostic tests. These may include:

an MRI scan
a CT scan
a bone scan
an ultrasound
nerve conduction studies
blood tests
In-office procedures

An orthopedist may perform an in-office procedure to help diagnose and treat certain musculoskeletal conditions.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons states that X-rays are “the most common and widely available diagnostic imaging technique.”

An orthopedist will often perform X-rays in-office, allowing them to diagnose certain conditions during a person’s appointment. They may also deliver injections, such as corticosteroid injections to relieve inflammation, and perform ultrasound scans.

Some acute injuries, such as fractures and dislocations, require the orthopedist to manipulate the bone or joint and immobilize it using a splint, cast, or brace.

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

Types of orthopedic practices

An orthopedist may specialize in a particular branch of orthopedic medicine. These branches are called subspecialties.

Some orthopedic subspecialties include:

hand and upper extremity
foot and ankle or podiatry
orthopedic oncology, including tumor and cancer care
pediatric orthopedics
sports medicine
spine surgery
trauma surgery
joint replacement surgery
Which operations can orthopedic surgeons perform? 

The sections below examine some surgical procedures that an orthopedist may perform as part of their work.

Total joint replacement (TJR)

TJR surgery is one of the most common elective surgeries in the United States.

During a TJR, or arthroplasty, the doctor will remove the worn-out surfaces of a damaged joint and use a prosthesis as a replacement to replicate the functions of a typical healthy joint.

Many people can perform daily activities more quickly afte

r a total joint replacement.

Arthroscopic surgery

Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that uses an arthroscope to diagnose joint problems.

An arthroscope is a long, thin camera — about the size of a buttonhole — that an orthopedic surgeon will insert into a person’s joint, most commonly the knee or shoulder. The camera connects to a video monitor that allows them to see the inside of the joint.

The surgeon can then use several small, thin instruments to fix various problems by making minor additional incisions.

Arthroscopic surgery of the knee is the most common type of orthopedic surgery that takes place in the U.S. An orthopedist may perform arthroscopic surgery to repair common joint injuries, such as meniscus tears, ACL tears, and rotator cuff tears.

It can take 1 week to several months for a person to recover fully from an arthroscopy.