Information

Any number of medical problems can affect the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

Bone problems may include:

• Bone deformities
• Bone infections
• Bone problems may include:
• Bone tumors
• Fractures
• Need for amputation
• Nonunions and malunions
• Spinal deformities

Joint problems may include:

• Arthritis
• Bursitis
• Dislocation
• Joint pain
• Joint swelling
• Ligament tears

Common orthopedic-related diagnoses based on body part:

Ankle and foot:

• Bunions
• Fasciitis
• Foot and ankle deformities
• Fractures
• Hammer toe
• Heel pain
• Heel spurs
• Joint pain and arthritis
• Sprains
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome
• Sesamoiditis

Hand and wrist

• Fractures
• Joint pain
• Arthritis
• Tendon or ligament injury
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Ganglion cyst
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Tendinitis

Shoulder

• Arthritis
• Bursitis
• Dislocation
• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
• Impingement syndrome
• Loose or foreign bodies
• Rotator cuff tear
• Rotator cuff tendinitis
• Separation
• Torn labrum
• SLAP tears

Knee:

• Cartilage and meniscus injuries
• Dislocation of the kneecap (patella)
• Ligament sprains or tears (anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate, medial collateral and lateral collateral ligament tears)
• Loose or foreign bodies
• Osgood-Schlatter disease
• Pain
• Tendinitis

Elbow:

• Arthritis
• Bursitis
• Dislocation or separation
• Loose or foreign bodies
• Pain
• Tennis or golfers elbow (epicondylitis or tendinitis)
• Elbow stiffness or contractures

Spine:

• Herniated (slipped) disc
• Infection of the spine
• Injury to the spine
• Scoliosis
• Spinal stenosis
• Spinal tumor
• Fractures
• Spinal cord injuries

SERVICES AND TREATMENTS

Imaging procedures can help diagnose or even treat many orthopedic conditions. Your doctor may order:

• Arthrograms (joint x-ray)
• Bone scans
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
• Discography
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
• X-rays

Sometimes, treatment involves injections of medicine into the painful area. This may involve:

• Corticosteroid injections into joints, tendons and ligaments, and around the spine
• Hyaluronic acid injection to help relieve arthritis pain

Surgical procedures used in the treatment of orthopedics include:

• Amputation
• Arthroscopic surgeries
• Bunionectomy and hammer toe repair
• Cartilage repair or resurfacing procedures
• Cartilage surgery to knee
• Fracture care
• Joint replacement (arthroplasty)
• Ligament reconstructions
• Repair of torn ligaments and tendons
• Spine surgery, including diskectomy, foraminotomy, laminectomy, and spinal fusion

Newer orthopedic services procedures include minimally invasive surgery techniques, advanced external fixation, and the use of bone graft substitutes and bone-fusing protein.

WHO IS INVOLVED

Orthopedic care often involves a team approach. Your team may include a doctor as well as a non-doctor specialist such as a physical therapist, as well as others.

• Orthopedic surgeons receive 5 or more extra years of training in the care of disorders of the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments.
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors have 4 or more extra years of training in this type of care after they graduated from medical school. They are also referred to as physiatrists. They do not perform surgery although they can give joint injections.
• Sports medicine physicians are doctors with experience in sports medicine who have a primary specialty in family practice, internal medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, or physical medicine and rehabilitation. Most have 1-2 years of additional training in sports medicine through subspecialty programs in sports medicine. Sports medicine is a special branch of orthopedics designed to provide complete medical care to active people of all ages.

Other doctors that may be a part of the orthopedics team include:

• Neurologists
• Pain specialists
• Primary care doctors
• Psychiatrists

Non-doctor health professionals that may be a part of the orthopedics team include:

• Athletic trainers
• Counselors
• Physical therapists
• Psychologists
• Social workers
• Vocational workers

References

Krabak BJ, Banks NL. Adhesive capsulitis. In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 10.

Ho K, Abu-Laban RB. Ankle and foot. In: Marx J, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2006:chap 55.

Update Date: 3/31/2012

Reviewed by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.