Whether you're running after your kids, tackling hiking trails, or showing off your best dance moves, keeping your musculoskeletal system in great shape is essential. Otherwise, joint pain can really mess up your life. The constant ache in your knee or the stiffness in your shoulder can slow you down and make even simple tasks difficult.
This is where orthopedic surgeons come in. These specialized doctors are trained to help diagnose, treat, and prevent issues related to your bones, joints, and muscles, helping you get back to your normal activities without pain.
Let's learn more about them on this blog!
An orthopedic surgeon, also known as an orthopedist, is a doctor who specializes in treating injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. This system includes everything that helps you move – your bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves.
In simple terms, orthopedic surgeons diagnose and treat musculoskeletal injuries and diseases. While they can perform surgeries, they also offer many non-surgical treatments. They play a crucial role in prevention and rehabilitation, helping patients regain movement, strength, and function.
Orthopedic surgeons are highly trained diagnosticians, utilizing advanced imaging techniques and physical examinations to pinpoint the underlying cause of your pain or dysfunction. Their treatment plans can encompass a spectrum of options, including:
While surgery is a valuable tool, it's not always the first line of defense. Orthopedic surgeons often prioritize non-surgical treatments whenever possible. Their goal is to help you move better and live without pain by educating patients on how to prevent injuries and maintain musculoskeletal health.
While many people think orthopedic surgeons only fix broken bones, they also treat a variety of other issues, such as ligament tears, tendon injuries, and joint pain. Their goal is to help patients recover fully and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. Common conditions treated by orthopedic surgeons are:
Fractures and Bone Trauma: Broken bones and other injuries from accidents or impacts.
Arthritis: Particularly osteoarthritis, which causes joint pain and stiffness.
Benign Soft Tissue Tumors: Non-cancerous growths in muscles or other soft tissues.
Bone Cancer: Tumors in the bones.
Bursitis: Inflammation of the small sacs of fluid that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles near your joints.
Congenital Defects: Structural defects present at birth, such as clubfoot and hip dysplasia.
Neck and Lower Back Pain: Issues affecting the spine.
Orthopedic Trauma: Severe injuries affecting bones, joints, or soft tissues.
Sports Injuries: Problems like ligament tears, tendon injuries, and joint pain from athletic activities.
Sprains and Strains: Injuries to ligaments and muscles.
Tendinitis: Inflammation of the tendons.
Orthopedic surgeons perform a variety of procedures to help people with musculoskeletal issues. Here are some of the common ones:
Joint Replacement: This involves replacing parts of a joint that are damaged or diseased. Common examples are knee and hip replacements.
Joint Reconstruction: Rebuilding a damaged joint to restore its function.
Bone Grafting: Taking bone from one part of the body and transplanting it to another area to repair and rebuild damaged bones.
Reconnecting Nerves: Repairing damaged nerves to restore movement and sensation.
Spinal Disk Replacement: Replacing a damaged spinal disk with an artificial one to relieve pain and restore function.
Internal Fixation: Using hardware like pins, screws, plates, and rods to hold broken bones in place while they heal.
Osteotomy: Cutting and repositioning a bone to correct its alignment, often used to treat arthritis.
Soft Tissue Repair: Repairing severely damaged muscles, ligaments, or tendons. Common examples are fixing injuries like torn ACLs in the knee or rotator cuff tears in the shoulder.
Release Surgery: Reducing pressure on muscle, tendon, or nerves, such as in carpal tunnel syndrome surgery.
Arthroscopy: Using a tiny camera and specialized tools to diagnose problems and even perform minor repairs inside your joint.
Sometimes, aches and pains are just a part of life. But how do you know when it's time to see an orthopedic surgeon? Here is when it's wise to seek expert help for your bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments.
Persistent Pain: Aching knees, sore shoulders, or any joint pain that just won't quit can be a sign of an underlying issue.
Trouble Moving: Is stiffness or pain limiting your range of motion? Whether it's reaching for that high shelf or putting on your shoes, restricted movement shouldn't be ignored.
Swelling and Inflammation: Noticeable swelling or redness around a joint can indicate inflammation or injury.
Grinding, Snapping, or Popping: Strange noises coming from your joints during movement should be immediately checked by an orthopedic surgeon.
Numbness or Tingling: These sensations can be caused by an underlying nerve problem affecting your bones or joints.
Trauma: If you've experienced a fracture, sprain, or any other injury to your bones, muscles, or ligaments, an orthopedic surgeon can ensure proper healing.
The sooner you address an orthopedic issue, the better. Early diagnosis and treatment can often lead to faster healing, improved outcomes, and a quicker return to your active lifestyle.
Becoming an orthopedic surgeon is a long and challenging journey, requiring many years of education and training. Here’s a detailed look at the steps involved:
While there's no specific major required, most aspiring orthopedic surgeons choose pre-med, biology, or a related science field. This ensures a solid foundation in the natural sciences.
You'll need to take and pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). This standardized test assesses your knowledge and skills necessary for success in medical school.
Medical school is an intense program that deeply looks into the human body, its diseases, and treatment approaches. You'll spend four years learning from professors and gaining valuable clinical experience through rotations in different medical specialties.
After medical school, you'll need to look for an orthopedic surgery residency program. During your five-year residency, you'll gain extensive hands-on experience under the supervision of experienced orthopedic surgeons. You'll learn to diagnose and treat a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, perform surgeries, and manage patient care.
After residency, some orthopedic surgeons choose to pursue a fellowship program. This allows them to gain advanced training in a specific area of orthopedics. Here's a look at some of the main orthopedic subspecialties:
Joint Replacement Surgeon: These specialists focus on replacing damaged joints with artificial ones, like hip or knee replacements, to restore movement and reduce pain.
Orthopedic Spine Surgeon: They treat spine-related issues, performing surgeries like spinal decompression or fusion to alleviate back and neck pain and improve spinal stability.
Foot and Ankle Surgeon: These surgeons address problems specifically in the feet and ankles, such as fractures, sprains, and deformities, helping patients walk comfortably again.
Sports Medicine Specialist: They specialize in treating sports-related injuries, including ligament tears (like ACL repair), meniscus injuries, and rotator cuff tears, to help athletes recover and return to their activities.
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon: Focusing on children's musculoskeletal issues, these surgeons handle congenital defects, growth-related problems, and injuries in young patients, ensuring proper development and function.
Hand Surgeon: They treat conditions affecting the hand, wrist, and forearm, performing surgeries for issues like carpal tunnel syndrome, fractures, and tendon injuries in these areas.
Oncology Orthopedic Surgeon: These specialists focus on tumors and cancers of the musculoskeletal system, providing surgical treatment to remove tumors and manage related conditions.
Orthopedic Trauma Surgeon: They handle severe injuries from accidents, such as multiple fractures and complex bone breaks, often in emergency situations.
Aside from these subspecialists, some orthopedic surgeons are generalists. They treat a wide range of conditions involving bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. However, subspecialists have additional training in advanced treatments for specific diagnoses, allowing them to provide more focused and often superior care.
To practice medicine, you'll need to obtain a license in the state where you plan to work. This involves taking standardized tests, undergoing a peer review, and passing an oral exam where you are asked questions and scenarios from experienced, board-certified orthopedic surgeons.
Board-certified orthopedic surgeons must renew their certification every ten years. This requires earning continuing medical education (CME) credits, including 200 hours in orthopedic-specific courses, 200 general CME hours, and multiple medical ethics courses.
Becoming an orthopedic surgeon is a long and demanding path, requiring roughly 14 years of education and training. However, the dedication and perseverance pay off in a rewarding career where you can make a real difference in people's lives by helping them regain mobility, manage pain, and live a more active life.
Titan Orthopedics is proud to be a leading provider of orthopedic care in Memphis Our team of highly skilled and experienced orthopedic surgeons in Memphis is passionate about helping you get back to the activities you love. From everyday aches and pains to complex injuries, we offer comprehensive treatment for all your musculoskeletal needs.
Our surgeons are at the forefront of their field, utilizing the latest advancements in technology to diagnose and treat your condition effectively. But expertise isn't just everything. We believe in providing compassionate care, taking the time to listen to your concerns, and developing a personalized treatment plan according to your body.
Don't let pain hold you back from experiencing life to the fullest. If you're struggling with joint pain, stiffness, or a recent injury, schedule a consultation with Titan Orthopedics today. We're here to help you get back on track and move with confidence.
To book an appointment visit our website or call us at 901-255-6532.
