Imagine how it would feel when your bones, muscles or joints stop functioning.

The only thing that you may be able to think about is how life has come to a halt.

After all, together with your bones, your joints and muscles play an integral role in managing your movement and functionality. However, several musculoskeletal conditions and associated pain can affect people of all ages, limiting their ability to work or enjoy life.

The good news is that everyone who ever experiences traumatic injuries of the bone, muscle, and joint can benefit from the expertise of an orthopaedic surgeon.

If you are wondering what an orthopaedic surgeon diagnoses and treats, this post is for you. Learn all you need to know about orthopaedic surgeons and the conditions they can help diagnose and treat below. 

 

What is an Orthopaedic Surgeon?

An orthopaedic surgeon is a medical professional specialising in diagnosing, treating, and managing musculoskeletal injuries and diseases, both surgically and non-surgically, in people of varying ages.

Orthopaedics surgeons receive extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

You may find general orthopaedic surgeons who can deal with different types of musculoskeletal concerns. However, some specialized orthopaedic surgeons deal with certain areas of the body, including

• Ankle and foot,
• Hip and knees,
• Shoulders, elbow and hand, and

Orthopaedic surgeons treat individuals of all ages ranging from newborns to the elderly dealing with musculoskeletal concerns ranging from aches and pains to fractures, joint replacement, spinal deformities, and sports injuries.

 

What Does an Orthopaedic Surgeon Diagnose and Treat?

When you first visit an orthopaedic surgeon for a musculoskeletal concern, they use their expertise to assess your condition by relying on physical assessment. However, your orthopaedic surgeon may also recommend lab investigation such as X-ray to diagnose the condition. Following the diagnoses, orthopaedic surgeons first explore nonsurgical options, such as pain-relieving medication, physical therapy, or rehabilitation.

However, if your musculoskeletal condition does not improve with conservative pain management techniques, an orthopaedic surgeon will reassess your condition and decide on whether or not you need surgical intervention.

And while your orthopaedic surgeon would rely on conservative management of your condition, in certain cases such as broken bones or deformed joints, surgical intervention is essential, and your orthopaedic surgeon would immediately opt for surgery.

Some of the musculoskeletal conditions that require immediate surgical intervention include

• Sports injuries,
• Spinal conditions such as ruptured disc and spinal stenosis,
• Bone tumours,
• Ankle injuries,
• Hand injuries and painful hand conditions such as carpal tunnel, and
• Foot and leg conditions such as clubfoot, hip dysplasia and metatarsus adductus.

Appropriate orthopaedic care is critical as it helps individuals with musculoskeletal conditions improve their quality of life. Find out more about orthopaedic treatment in Melbourne by getting in touch with Matt Barnes.