An orthopedic surgeon is specialized in the diagnosis, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of diseases and injuries to the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons work on patients of all ages, with their focus on problems or issues the patient is having with their bones, muscles or joints. They can perform both surgical and non-surgical treatment options, depending on the extent of the injury. Although they are surgeons, orthopedic surgeons work to treat injuries or diseases through non-surgical means prior to performing surgery. Orthopedic surgeons often specialize in a certain area of the musculoskeletal system, for example focusing on joint diseases and injuries such as knee, hip or shoulder injuries.

Orthopedic surgeons treat a wide range of diseases and injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system. This can include anything affecting the joints, bones, ligaments, tendons and any other part of the musculoskeletal system. Many of the diseases or disorders that orthopedic surgeons treat, such as arthritis, bursitis and tendonitis don’t require surgery. These can often be treated through exercise, medications and physical therapy. Orthopedic surgeons are able to treat fractures and broken bones, through the application of casts or splints, and setting bones where needed. Orthopedic surgeons often specialize in one area of the musculoskeletal system. For example, they might specialize in joints and focus their practice on such parts of the body as the knees, shoulders and hips, diagnosing and treating injuries or diseases that affect the joints of the body. Other areas of specialization include the spine, feet, wrists and hands. Patients may be referred to a specialized orthopedic surgeon by their family doctor for complete treatment of an issue in the musculoskeletal system. As orthopedic surgeons have completed further training in their specialized area, they will be able to diagnose and provide preventative treatment options to the patient to try to avoid surgery.

Orthopedic surgeons perform a wide range of surgeries, depending on the injury the patient has sustained and the area they are treating. There are different types of surgeries that can be performed on an injured area. These include joint replacement, fusion, internal fixation, soft tissue repair, osteotomy and release surgery. Joint replacement is done to replace parts of a joint that are diseased or damaged. Some common types of joint replacements are hip and knee replacement surgeries. Internal fixation is the use of hardware inside the body to hold broken bones together during the healing process. This can be done using rods, plates, screws or pins, depending on the size and extent of the broken bone. Fusion is often used to help healing in spine and neck surgery. It involves connecting two bones together through the use of bone graft material and an internal fixation method. Osteotomy is sometimes used to treat arthritis or a damaged joint, by cutting part of a bone and reshaping it. Soft tissue repair is used on muscles, tendons or ligaments to repair them when they have been severely damaged. Carpal tunnel syndrome is treated through release surgery. Pressure on the median nerve is reduced through surgery which helps relieve symptoms of the disease.

There are many common orthopedic surgeries, as the range of surgeries orthopedic surgeons perform is extensive. Some of the most common orthopedic surgeries are knee and hip replacements, ACL repairs, spinal disc herniations, rotator cuff repairs. Age, activity level and lifestyle have an impact on the likelihood of musculoskeletal injuries and as a result, commonalities can be found in the type of orthopedic surgeries performed on patients based on these factors. Kids and young adults would commonly need treatment for broken bones and other repairs suffered as a result of a fall or hit while playing or during sports. Older adults, such as seniors, would be more likely to need hip or knee replacements due to arthritis or deterioration of the joint with age.

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