What is the orthopedics branch in medical science?

Orthopedics is the branch of medical science related to our bones and muscles. It deals with our bodies’ muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments.

Who is an Orthopedic Doctor?

An Orthopedic doctor is a specialized person skilled in dealing with the Orthopedic branch. They treat the deformities and injuries in our musculoskeletal system. They sometimes perform surgeries but also use other methods to treat the problems.
Orthopedic doctors usually specialize in particular orthopedics such as hand, foot, leg breakage, etc.

For what reasons do people visit orthopedic doctors?

You must go to an orthopedic doctor if you have any of the following problems-

  • Broken bones
  • Pain in the joints
  • Bone tumors
  • Backache
  • slip disks or ruptured discs
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Arthritis
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Carpal tunnel
  • Club foot
  • Limb lengthening
  • Foot, ankle, and hand injuries
  • Achilles’ tendons
  • Osteoporosis
  • bursitis
  • scoliosis
  • sports injuries

What non-surgical methods do the Orthopedic Doctors perform?

Every Orthopedic doctor first tries to use non-surgical methods to treat the patient. Then, they only use surgical procedures when no other way can help cure the problem.
These are the non-surgical methods that Orthopedic doctors use-

  • Medications- Orthopedic doctors prescribe medicines if the patient complains of pain. They also give medication for swelling and drugs to reduce inflammation.
  • Physical Exercises- Your doctor might also suggest you do some exercises for you. These exercises, if done in the correct motion, will help you lose your rigidness.
  • Lifestyle changes- Your doctor may suggest some changes in your lifestyle. They may ask you to add or remove certain things from your diet and give you workout tips. Ask you to sit in a certain posture and so on.

What type of surgeries do Orthopedic Surgeons perform?

An Orthopedic doctor has to perform various surgeries depending on the patient’s problem.
Here are the most common types of surgeries that orthopedists use to treat patients-

  • ACL reconstruction surgery- Anterior Cruciate Ligament surgery is the most common type of surgery that orthopedist surgeons use to cure the knee. Usually, athletes and sports players damage their ACL while playing. Therefore, ACL surgery is highly beneficial for them.
  • Knee Replacement Surgery- Sometimes, the patient gets more hurt and requires either a partial or complete knee replacement. In a partial knee replacement, the doctors remove the wounded part of the knee and substitute it with new metal. In a total knee replacement, the orthopedics have to remove the entire knee and replace it with new metal parts.
  • Ankle repair- A patient’s ankle joint is not steady after a fracture. His bones might not adjust like before, even after the medical treatment. So, the orthopedic doctors perform this surgery to make the ankle normal like earlier.
  • Spinal Surgeries- Though medicines can cure most back problems, at times, the person might be very old or have hurt their back too severely. These are the people who require spinal surgery. Otherwise, it can cause problems in other parts, such as the legs.
  • Joint fusion- During this surgery, the surgeons remove the problem-causing cartilage and weld the two bones together. The joining of the two bones provides more stability to the joint.

How do Orthopedic doctors diagnose the problems?

To diagnose the problems of the patient, the Orthopedic doctors follow the following procedures-

  • First and foremost, they ask about the person’s symptoms, their problem, and the parts in which they feel the pain and issues.
  • Then they ask more questions about the person’s previous medical history, wounds, physical activities, etc.
  • After this, they examine the patient physically. For example, they may move and touch the part that hurts. They might also check for swelling.
  • The Orthopedic doctors might also ask the person to get some tests done such as X-rays, MRI scans, bone scans, ultrasounds, or blood tests. These tests help the Orthopedists get a clearer picture of the injury or the hurting part.

Bones and ligaments are very fragile. Therefore, the Orthopedist must handle the problems in these parts with precision and care. Hence, it would be best if you only went to the best orthopedic doctor with experience and accuracy in his field.

You can find the most suitable orthopedic doctor in Faridabad with us at the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, Faridabad. Our orthopedists have years of experience in their respective fields. With their experience and expertise, our doctors treat the patients with care and accuracy and handle the cases calmly.

Content Reviewed by – Asian Hospital Medical Editors