Orthopedics, or orthopedic services, is the medical specialty that involves the treatment of the musculoskeletal system, which is made up of your body’s bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
Any number of medical problems can affect the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
Bone problems may include:
Joint problems may include:
Common orthopedic-related diagnoses based on body part:
Ankle and foot:
Hand and wrist
Shoulder
Knee:
Elbow:
Spine:
SERVICES AND TREATMENTS
Imaging procedures can help diagnose or even treat many orthopedic conditions. Your doctor may order:
Sometimes, treatment involves injections of medicine into the painful area. This may involve:
Surgical procedures used in the treatment of orthopedics include:
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.
Other doctors that may be a part of the orthopedics team include:
Non-doctor health professionals that may be a part of the orthopedics team include:
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.
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.
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