Orthopedics is a specialized branch of medicine dedicated to the care of the musculoskeletal system. This complex system includes your bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves, and is essential for movement, stability, and overall physical function. As a broad surgical and medical specialty, orthopedics encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of conditions, from injuries to chronic diseases affecting these vital structures. Given the prevalence and impact of musculoskeletal issues, coupled with continuous advancements in treatment and diagnosis, orthopedics is a critical component of modern healthcare, helping people of all ages maintain active and healthy lives.
All board-certified orthopedic specialists undergo rigorous surgical training. While some may choose to focus on non-surgical treatments or pursue roles in research, education, or administration, their foundational expertise lies in surgical principles. An orthopedic surgeon frequently collaborates with a diverse team of medical professionals across various surgical and medical disciplines to provide comprehensive patient care. The extensive field of orthopedics is further divided into numerous subspecialties, each focusing on specific areas or patient populations within the musculoskeletal system:
Pediatric Orthopedics
This subspecialty focuses on the unique musculoskeletal needs of children. Pediatric orthopedic surgeons are experts in managing injuries, deformities, and diseases affecting the bones, joints, muscles, and tendons in infants, children, and adolescents. They address conditions that are specific to growing bodies, ensuring proper musculoskeletal development from childhood through adolescence.
Sports Medicine
Sports medicine orthopedists specialize in the treatment and prevention of injuries related to athletic activities and physical exercise. They care for athletes of all levels, from recreational to professional, addressing injuries to bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons sustained during sports or exercise. Their goal is to help individuals recover from injuries and return to their desired activity level safely and effectively.
Adult Reconstructive Surgery
This area concentrates on the care of adults suffering from advanced arthritis and other degenerative conditions affecting major joints. Adult reconstructive surgeons offer a range of treatments, including medical management, joint replacement surgery (such as hip and knee replacements), and other reconstructive procedures to alleviate pain, restore function, and improve quality of life for patients with debilitating joint conditions.
Foot and Ankle
Foot and ankle orthopedists specialize in the comprehensive care of patients with injuries and diseases of the foot and ankle. They treat a wide spectrum of conditions, from common problems like bunions and ankle sprains to complex fractures, deformities, and arthritis affecting the foot and ankle, ensuring patients can maintain mobility and foot health.
Hand Surgery
Hand surgeons, often with an orthopedic or plastic surgery background, provide both surgical and nonsurgical treatment for conditions affecting the hand and wrist. This intricate area involves managing injuries like fractures and tendon injuries, as well as chronic conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis in the hand and wrist, restoring function and alleviating pain in these essential upper extremity structures.
Shoulder and Elbow
Shoulder and elbow specialists focus on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries specifically affecting the shoulder and elbow joints. They manage conditions ranging from rotator cuff tears and shoulder instability to elbow fractures and arthritis, employing both surgical and non-surgical approaches to restore range of motion, reduce pain, and improve function in these upper extremity joints.
Spine
Spine surgeons, often orthopedic surgeons or neurosurgeons, specialize in the surgical and nonsurgical treatment of deformities, injuries, and disorders of the back and neck, encompassing the spinal column. They treat conditions such as scoliosis, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and spinal fractures, aiming to alleviate pain, restore spinal stability, and improve neurological function.
Trauma and Fractures
Orthopedic trauma surgeons are experts in managing injuries to the musculoskeletal system resulting from trauma, such as accidents and falls. They treat fractures and dislocations throughout the body, as well as associated injuries to muscles, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels in the arms, legs, back, and neck, often involving complex surgical reconstruction to restore anatomical alignment and function.
Musculoskeletal Oncology
Musculoskeletal oncologists specialize in the treatment of benign and malignant tumors of the bones, joints, and muscles. They manage a range of tumors, from non-cancerous growths to sarcomas, utilizing surgical and non-surgical approaches, often in collaboration with medical and radiation oncologists, to remove tumors, preserve limb function, and improve patient outcomes.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is an integral part of orthopedic care, encompassing both short-term and long-term programs designed to improve strength, mobility, and overall functional recovery after injury or surgery. Orthopedic rehabilitation programs, often involving physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other modalities, are tailored to individual patient needs to optimize healing, restore function, and facilitate a return to daily activities and desired levels of physical activity.
