Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat They DoWhen to See OneTreatmentsSubspecialtiesTraining and CertificationAppointment TipsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What They Do
When to See One
Treatments
Subspecialties
Training and Certification
Appointment Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
An orthopedist is a medical provider who specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases and injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, joints, and other connective tissues). An orthopedist is also known as an orthopedic doctor, orthopedic physician, or orthopedic surgeon.
You might see an orthopedist if you have pain, swelling, and deformity from ajoint injuryor have badly sprained a muscle, ligament, or other supportive skeletal structure.
If you need treatment, an orthopedist can recommend surgical or non-surgical (conservative) options. If you need surgery, an orthopedic surgeon can perform it and oversee your recovery.
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What Do Orthopedists Do?
An orthopedist helps in the rehabilitation of a variety of injuries. Getting the right treatment from an orthopedist can help you avoid permanent problems that may develop as you recover from injuries to:
Your orthopedist will closely monitor your progress in rehabilitation therapies such as occupational therapy and physical therapy. Your orthopedist will also assess the need for other services and specialties to assist in your care.
When Should You See an Orthopedist?
You may need to see an orthopedist if you have musculoskeletal pain such as joint pain, back or neck pain, or an injury that limits your day-to-day activities. An orthopedist is a specialist, so you may need to get a referral from your primary care provider before seeing one.
Your healthcare provider may refer you to an orthopedist if you’ve been diagnosed with a general or chronic condition such as:
Joint replacement isone of the most common reasons why someone might see an orthopedist. Someone may need a joint replacement due to severe arthritis which is causing the joint to no longer function properly. A joint replacement may also be needed for those who have sustained direct trauma to a joint, which cannot be fixed through the surgical or non-surgical placement of fractured bones.
An orthopedist can also treat more specific conditions including but not limited to:
Orthopedists can address a patient’s ailments through non-surgical treatments like exercise recommendations and lifestyle changes or through surgical methods, depending on injury or diagnosis.
Surgical treatments may include:
An Overview of Orthopedic Surgery
Joint Replacement
Depending on the severity of the injury or condition of the joint, joint replacements may be the most appropriate surgical choice. A joint may be fully replaced (called a total joint replacement), partially replaced, or the joint can undergo a revision replacement.
Each of these joint replacement surgeries consists of removing the damaged joint and replacing it with an artificial version.The materials used in joint replacements ranges from metals, such as cobalt, chromium, and titanium, to resilient plastic or ceramic.
Why Material Matters With Hip Replacement
Non-Surgical Treatments
Orthopedists are also trained in the use of non-surgical treatments. These include prescribing medications, recommending various exercises, and suggesting lifestyle changes and modifications to assist with the prevention of injury and deformity.
Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Orthopedic Tests
Orthopedists can perform a variety of tests on bones, joints, and muscles to determine the root cause of pain and diagnose a patient. These tests vary based on the joint, but one example isNeer’s testfor rotator cuff impingement. This test is very general and simply shows the presence of a rotator cuff impingement, not which structures are problematic. For this reason, it should be combined with the range of other tests for the shoulder joint.
Other examples of orthopedic tests are the anterior and posterior drawer tests along with valgus and varus stress tests on the ligaments of the knee. Again, these are preliminary tests which indicate the presence of issues with the ligaments in the knee, meaning these should be followed up with additional testing to make a definitive diagnosis.
The straight leg testcan be used to test sensitive nerves, range of motion, and strength of the lower leg. Pain or changes in sensation when completing this test may indicate a sciatic nerve condition or other issues with the joints and muscles of the leg.
Orthopedic surgery itself is a specialty of the medical field; however, there are many sub-specialties within this field. These sub-specialties include:
An orthopedist who has successfully completed each of these requirements may hold either MD or DO following their name.MD refers to a healthcare provider of medicine which is granted to those who have graduated from a school of medicine.DO refers to a practitioner of osteopathic medicine which is granted to those who have graduated from a school of osteopathic medicine.
An orthopedist who has successfully completed each of these requirements may hold either MD or DO following their name.
There are some differences between the schooling for each of these professions, but both are equally qualified to treat patients as an orthopedic surgeon once residency training has been completed.
A good practice to follow before any medical appointment is to keep a note of your symptoms. This may include recording details of pain, swelling, loss of motion, strength, and ability to sleep or participate in daily activities.
Before your appointment you should also note:
It is also helpful to inform your orthopedist what types of treatments have or have not worked before. This will help your healthcare provider more efficiently determine what the best course of action is.
If you have them, bring any reports or imaging such as X-rays or MRIs when visiting your practitioner. If you recently had imaging done due to a recent diagnosis or injury to the muscle or joint, this may already be sent to your orthopedist. If you have imaging which shows the progression of the joint or bone damage, it may help to contact your previous healthcare provider and locate these records.
An orthopedist will need to examine the area around the joint, muscle, or tendon so it is important to go into your appointment with layers of clothing that can easily be removed. Loose pants will allow for quick access to view the knee or hip joint, and so on.
If this is your first appointment with an orthopedist, ensure you arrive early to fill out the necessary paperwork with the receptionist. Not only is this paperwork required for insurance purposes, but doing a thorough job filling out your surgical and medical history will help the healthcare provider know what to address first.
Frequently Asked QuestionsAn orthopedic physician may be either a medical doctor (MD) or a doctor of osteopathy (DO). Both are fully licensed physicians, and either may pursue specialty training in orthopedics.A podiatrist specializes in conditions of the foot and ankle, which includes things like ingrown toenails, ulcers, and athlete’s foot. An orthopedist’s training involves the entire musculoskeletal system, including the foot and ankle.
An orthopedic physician may be either a medical doctor (MD) or a doctor of osteopathy (DO). Both are fully licensed physicians, and either may pursue specialty training in orthopedics.
A podiatrist specializes in conditions of the foot and ankle, which includes things like ingrown toenails, ulcers, and athlete’s foot. An orthopedist’s training involves the entire musculoskeletal system, including the foot and ankle.
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Orthopaedics. 2017.Hu CY, Yoon TR.Recent updates for biomaterials used in total hip arthroplasty.Biomater Res. 2018;22:33. doi:10.1186/s40824-018-0144-8American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Guide to orthopaedic practices and subspecialties.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Orthopaedics. 2017.Hu CY, Yoon TR.Recent updates for biomaterials used in total hip arthroplasty.Biomater Res. 2018;22:33. doi:10.1186/s40824-018-0144-8American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Guide to orthopaedic practices and subspecialties.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Orthopaedics. 2017.Hu CY, Yoon TR.Recent updates for biomaterials used in total hip arthroplasty.Biomater Res. 2018;22:33. doi:10.1186/s40824-018-0144-8American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Guide to orthopaedic practices and subspecialties.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Orthopaedics. 2017.
Hu CY, Yoon TR.Recent updates for biomaterials used in total hip arthroplasty.Biomater Res. 2018;22:33. doi:10.1186/s40824-018-0144-8
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Guide to orthopaedic practices and subspecialties.
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