March 1, 2023

Evaluates and Treats the Musculoskeletal System

An Orthopedic surgeon is a highly trained specialist who evaluates and treats the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Typically, you see an orthopedist after your primary care doctor refers you for symptoms that indicate an acute or chronic issue needing specialized care.

Orthopedics surgeons may specialize in particular orthopedics, like sports medicine, pediatrics, or hand surgery. Specialization allows these practitioners to become highly skilled in their chosen fields.

What Does an Orthopedic Surgeon Do?

Despite the name, surgery isn't the only thing orthopedic surgeons do. When a patient is referred for care, the surgeon conducts a thorough evaluation, orders (or reviews existing) diagnostic tests, and explores non-surgical treatments whenever possible. If surgical treatment is the best option, the surgeon provides pre-surgical consultation, performs surgery, and manages post-surgical care.

Reasons to See an Orthopedic Surgeon

It's important to talk to your primary care physician if you're experiencing issues with your bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. After evaluating your symptoms, they can refer you to an orthopedic surgeon who is an expert in acute and chronic joint or bone pain.

Ongoing pain can indicate underlying issues that can limit mobility and decrease quality of life. When symptoms make it hard to complete daily tasks, or you can no longer participate in sports, exercise, or physical labor, an orthopedic surgeon is needed to evaluate the cause and possible treatment options. Orthopedic surgeons play a critical role in managing degenerative conditions like arthritis, helping patients alleviate pain and improve joint function.

Sports injuries and accident-related trauma to bones, muscles, tendons, and joints commonly require an orthopedic surgeon. Both conditions require immediate intervention to prevent further tissue or bone damage and life-threatening complications.

What Can I Expect on My First Orthopedic Surgery Appointment?

The first step in diagnosing and treating your condition is for your orthopedic surgeon to collect a comprehensive medical history. This history includes previous injuries or surgeries, describing your symptoms, how long you've been experiencing symptoms, family history of chronic issues, other health issues, and your activity level.

The orthopedic surgeon will also conduct a physical exam, even though your primary care provider likely completed one. After evaluating your history and physical exam, the surgeon may order diagnostic tests like X-rays, CT Scans, ultrasounds, and MRIs. In non-urgent situations, the results of these scans may take a few days and require a second visit to the orthopedic surgeon's office.

Once the surgeon gathers and assesses all the needed information, they will meet with you to discuss the diagnosis and possible treatment options. The goal is to provide the least invasive and least risky treatment that reduces (or eliminates) your symptoms.

During this discussion, your orthopedic surgeon will explain both diagnosis and treatment options and answer your questions. This conversation is also the perfect time to voice concerns about your new diagnosis and recommended treatment plan. Clear communication between doctor and patient is essential to moving into the treatment phase with peace of mind.

Remember, you can always ask follow-up questions or change your mind after the appointment. Just be sure to share these thoughts with your orthopedic surgeon.

When you're ready to move past conservative care and talk surgery, the right orthopedic surgeon makes all the difference. Search our directory to find one near you.

What Conditions Can an Orthopedic Surgeon Diagnose?

Orthopedic physicians diagnose and develop treatment plans for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions and injuries, which include:

• Arthritis
• Bone tumors
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Hip dysplasia
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Neurofibromatosis
• Osteoporosis
• Runner's knee
• Sciatica
• Tennis elbow
• Bone fractures
• Torn muscles and tendons

What Treatment Can an Orthopedic Surgeon Provide?

The least invasive and most effective treatment is usually the first line of treating orthopedic conditions. Some of the non-surgical interventions orthopedic surgeons regularly use to treat patients include:

1. Bracing, Booting, and Casting: Supporting the affected joint with braces, boots, or casts to promote healing and stability.
2. Joint Manipulation: The manual manipulation of the joint to improve mobility and function.
3. Joint Distension: A procedure involving fluid injection into the joint to expand and improve joint movement.
4. Viscosupplementation for Treatment of Arthritis: Injection of lubricating fluid (hyaluronic acid) to alleviate arthritis symptoms.
5. Physical Therapy: Customized exercises and therapies to strengthen muscles, improve range of motion, and aid recovery.
6. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT): A low dose of sound waves to stimulate tissue repair, reduce pain, and treat conditions that are not responding to other interventions.
7. Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment (PRP): An injection of platelets and growth factors to treat tendonitis, ligament injuries, arthritis, and fractures and to increase post-surgery healing.
8. Facet Joint Injections: Injection of an anesthetic and an anti-inflammatory steroid to reduce pain and inflammation in the facet joints.
9. Spinal Injections: One or more injections that relieve lower back, leg, neck, shoulder, or arm pain from spinal conditions. It may include steroids and pain relievers.
10. Medication Management: Pain, inflammation, and other symptoms associated with musculoskeletal conditions are often treated with steroids, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving medication.
11. Prescribing Assistive Devices: Braces, splints, and orthotics to support injured or weakened body parts can reduce pain and inflammation while protecting you from further injury

When non-surgical options do not provide the desired relief, orthopedic surgeons turn to more invasive procedures. Surgical treatment options for bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons include:

1. Arthroscopic Surgery: This minimally invasive surgery only requires small incisions and has a faster recovery time. A small camera gives the surgeon a clear view of the area that needs repair.
2. Joint Replacement Surgery: This more complex surgery requires a lengthier healing time but is often outpatient or requiring a short stay in the hospital. It is most commonly performed on knee or hip joints worn down by daily activity.
3. Spinal Surgery: Spinal surgery addresses issues like herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or structural abnormalities. It may involve decompression, fusion, or implanting stabilizing devices in the spine.
4. Carpal Tunnel Release: Relieves pressure on the median nerve in the wrist by cutting the carpal tunnel ligament to alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms.
5. Tendon Repair: Reattaching or stitching damaged tendons, most commonly in the shoulder, hand, knee, or other joints.
6. ACL Reconstruction: Rebuilds the wholly or partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in the knee to restore stability and function.

How to Prepare for Orthopedic Surgeries

Once your surgeon determines surgery is the best option, there are a few things you'll want to do before surgery. Your surgeon will provide a list of preparations specific to your surgery, but here are some general pre-surgery guidelines that apply in many cases:

• Schedule your surgery.
• Arrange transportation to and from surgery.
• Provide any needed documentation to your insurance company.
• Ask your surgeon if changes to the current medication are needed.
• Pack the basics you'll need for overnight recovery (if needed).
• Pick out clothing that will be easy to put on post-surgery.
• If you are unsure, ask family members if anyone has had trouble with anesthesia (you'll be asked this on the day of surgery).

On the day of surgery, be sure to:

• Follow fasting instructions and be honest with the intake team if you haven't.
• Bring your insurance card, living will, medical Power of Attorney (POA), and photo I.D.
• Bring an updated list of your medications, including doses and frequency.
• Make sure the correct emergency contact information is on file.
• Leave valuables like jewelry and large amounts of cash at home.
• Thoroughly review any documents you are asked to sign, like treatment consent forms, privacy information, and follow-up instructions.
• Ask any last-minute questions during your intake.
• Leave valuable personal items like cell phones, glasses, hearing aids, and dentures with the person who brought you to the surgery.

What Is It Like Recovering from Orthopedic Surgery?

Every surgery is different, but one thing is constant-Recovering from surgery takes time. Your unique healing process may take a few weeks or months, depending on the severity of your condition, the complexity of your surgery, and your health.

Initially, you'll have some pain to manage with over-the-counter or prescription meds. More invasive surgeries require hospital stays where nurses can administer IV medication. Your incisions may require dressings to facilitate healing and decrease the chance of infection. You will also have less movement and strength immediately following surgery. Your surgeon will likely order rest and supportive devices like splints, casts, crutches, or boots to protect this area.

Once you've progressed through the initial stages of healing, you will begin physical therapy to strengthen the area impacted by the surgery gradually. The majority of therapy happens at home or in an outpatient clinic setting. Significant injuries and complex surgeries may require more extended in-patient rehabilitation. In-patient care is also a good option if your surgery makes navigating your home challenging or you don't have friends or family to help.