The musculoskeletal system includes bones, joints, tendons, ligaments,
muscles and nerves. Orthopedic surgery is the medical specialty
concerned with this system. Surgeons in this field do not tre...
The musculoskeletal system includes bones, joints, tendons, ligaments,
muscles and nerves. Orthopedic surgery is the medical specialty
concerned with this system. Surgeons in this field do not treat every
problem with some kind of surgical procedure, and many conditions are
treated non-surgically. Like most medical professions, becoming an
orthopedic surgeon requires many years of education and training. This
typically includes four years of undergraduate education, four years of
medical school, and five years of residency training.
Many surgeons also choose to specialize in one area of the
musculoskeletal system. Training for most sub-specialties is usually one
year in length. Examples of sub-specialties include hand surgery, total
joint reconstruction, pediatric orthopedics, and surgical sports
medicine. After their education and training, orthopedic surgeons must
obtain certification from the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. The
only specialties that a surgeon can obtain a Certificate of Added
Qualifications for are hand surgery and sports medicine.
The non-surgical treatments that surgeons may recommend can include
different medications, physical therapy, and rehabilitation exercises.
With most medical conditions, surgery is only considered when other
treatments do not work. Some of the most common types of orthopedic
surgery are performed because of joint problems. Issues with the knees,
shoulders, and hips often require surgery to correct. Arthroscopy is one
of the most common procedures for correcting knees, shoulders, elbows,
wrists, ankles, feet, and hips.
Arthroscopy involves the use of a type of endoscope that is inserted in
the joint through a small incision. This type of orthopedic surgery is
especially useful for treating professional athletes because they injure
their joints often, and the small incisions can greatly reduce recovery
time. In conventional open surgeries, the soft tissues that are cut to
allow access to the joint can take a long time to heal. The endoscope is
a stiff or flexible tube that is inserted into the joint. It contains a
system of lenses or cameras that allow the surgeon to view the joint
without cutting it open completely. Arthroscopy is sometimes performed
to diagnose the problem before another surgery is done to treat it.
Another common operation is joint replacement. In this type of
procedure, prosthesis is used to replace a joint that is damaged or
arthritic. It is most often used to replace knee and hip joints. A joint
can become damaged when the cartilage has worn away and bones are
rubbing together. This can cause a great deal of pain and stiffness, and
severely limit the patient抯 participation in normal activities. Prior
to joint replacement surgery, the patient may take pain medication to
manage his or her symptoms until it becomes ineffective. The prosthetic
joint may be made of ceramic or metal and typically lasts for ten to
twenty years. Among the elderly, hip replacement is often needed because
of the effects of arthritis.
Other types of orthopedic surgery include rotator cuff surgery for
shoulder injuries, carpel tunnel release for hand and wrist pain, and
ACL reconstruction for a torn ligament in the knee. These are only a few
of the multiple orthopedic procedures. Since at least one of every four
Americans has a musculoskeletal problem, these types of surgeries and
other orthopedic treatments are very common. Back and knee injuries are
the most common musculoskeletal issues.