The most common injuries to the human body are those that involve the musculoskeletal system. These injuries are most commonly brought about through strenuous activities like jogging, exercise and inv...

The most common injuries to the human body are those that involve the musculoskeletal system. These injuries are most commonly brought about through strenuous activities like jogging, exercise and involvement in sports. Some examples of musculoskeletal injuries are muscle strains, trauma (broken bones), overused repetitive injuries (RSI), dislocations, bruises and hematomas, etc.

Orthopedics or orthopedic surgery is the specialty of medicine concerned particularly with the several diseases and disorders of muscles and bones, or the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedists or orthopedic surgeons are doctors that specialize in this branch of medicine.

Majority of the commonly performed procedures by orthopedic surgeons include the following:?joint replacement surgery, such as hip or ankle replacement, shoulder surgery, spine surgery, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and also disc replacement surgery.

Many or most of the orthopedic surgeons may have accomplished sub-specialization in hand surgery, spine surgery, joint reconstruction, sports medicine, and trauma.

Being leaders (consequently having to carry a great responsibility) in comprehensive orthopedic care, specialists in orthopedic surgery use as much and as often of both the latest technology and the newest techniques in therapy to help improve the state of their patients, and to let them get back to enjoying an active lifestyle. From all kinds of orthopedic surgery and sports medicines, to the specifics, shoulder, knee, and joint replacement, to alternative treatments for arthritis, medical professionals are totally focused on restoring functionality and developing a positive outcome for their respective and numerous patients.

As to what an orthopedic specialist, also commonly referred to as an orthopedist or orthopedic surgeon, really does, is to diagnose and attempt to remedy medical problems related to the human skeleton, its joints, tendons, and ligaments. A specialist may also at times treat disorders related to the nervous system that are related or located to and at the spine. The medical problems that the specialist addresses may be the result of birth defects, injury or simple old age. The orthopaedic specialist may treat the ailments with physical or drug therapy, after having diagnosed the specific ailments or defects affecting the patient. Surgery is one of the most common options to solve orthopedic problems.

Some orthopedic specialists maintain a general medical practice, but as was stated earlier, most tend to specialize in one specific area of orthopedics. These specialties commonly include spinal disorders, arthroscopy (the examination of a joint by a tool called an endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision) and joint replacement, and hand surgery. Most practices do not find it necessary to discriminate between acute and chronic disorders.

Orthopedic specialists frequently work in the field of trauma medicine, limiting or focusing their treatment to patients in emergency rooms or trauma clinics. Many of these specialists can be found in the area of sports medicine. More diversified and generalised orthopedic specialists work in a wide range of medical environments including podiatry, geriatrics, pediatrics and plastic surgery.

Treatment suggestions and recommendations for orthopedic patients are plentiful and extensive. Recommendations usually depend on the nature of the injury, deformity or disease.