The musculoskeletal system which is the complex body system consisting of over one hundred bones and close to four hundred muscles. Each muscle and bone connect via ligaments, tendons, or cartilage. This means that the musculoskeletal system is a very large portion of your body, and a very important one.
All of these dense tissues are what orthopedic surgeons help to maintain and keep healthy in patients who suffer from pain or muscular or bone injuries. While it is important to do your best to maintain health through good diet and exercise, even healthy people can sprang an ankle, break an arm, or a plethora of other injuries and problems.
Awareness of one’s body, what’s normal and what’s not, is key in keeping it functioning normally and aging gracefully. It is also important to consult your doctor immediately when there is even a chance something is wrong.
Orthopedic doctors recommend maintaining a healthy weight. First and foremost, excessive weight will damage joints and cause stress on backs, knees, hips and ankles. Excess weight is also more difficult for your weight bearing joints as they are forced to carry more than they are intended for.
An orthopedic surgeon is the doctor who is generally consulted for joint pain. They, as a rule, and depending on sub-specialty, perform knee and hip replacements, arthroscopic surgeries of the knee, rotator cuff repair, and spine surgeries. Not to mention take care of all the other very important joints in the body.
Often working with physiatrists or physical therapists, orthopedic surgeons often co-ordinate care with these specialties. Physical therapists work with patients to regain and maintain normal range of motion, and strengthening of weakened areas to return to work, return to school or sports, or just live without pain. Often, Orthopaedic surgeons will try to exhaust all non-surgical options before considering surgery.
Orthopedic doctors are highly trained specialists who rely on the use of x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scans to assist in diagnosing bone or soft tissue injuries or ailments. Sometimes employing these techniques with guided treatment, the orthopedic surgeon has the skills to treat patients conservatively, with exercise and medications, or if these additional non-surgical measures are not enough, to perform surgery, if indicated.
These specialist doctors take into account each individual patient’s age, sex, health history, level of present activity, level of activity desired, present pain levels and quality of life in determining treatment. Many factors must be considered when treating individual patients and this helps decide further courses of treatment. Because many factors are involved, everyone’s case is different. Expectations are different and the orthopedic surgeons work carefully and thoughtfully with each patient’s needs.
If surgery is indicated, orthopedic doctors and their staff take care to explain to the patient and their families exactly what is going to be done, and what to expect before and after surgery. No one should ever pushed into a treatment or surgery. All the facts should be given, and statistics, and patients, with their families, can weigh options of surgical or non-surgical treatment procedures. The musculoskeletal structure is a huge part of the human body and taking care of it is vital, so is having a orthopedic doctor you are comfortable with when things go wrong. A well informed patient is the best patient.
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