Determining when you need to see an orthopedic surgeon for chronic pain can be confusing. One of the most common reasons for this confusion is the misconception that orthopedic surgeons only perform surgery. This is simply not true. Orthopedic surgeons are experts of the musculoskeletal system and can diagnose, treat, and help prevent conditions and injuries affecting it – and they don’t only do this through surgery.
Ligaments are the tough yet flexible fibrous tissues that connect a bone to another bone, especially in a joint. They are located throughout your body and are part of the intricate network of tissues that keep your bones and joints in place. Your shoulders, hands, hips, knees, feet, and ankles all have ligaments which, with too much pressure, can become overstretched and tear.
Orthopedic surgeons specialize in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and have additional training in surgery. This means they can provide non-surgical and surgical treatments to patients. An orthopedic surgeon can specialize in specific parts of the body, such as the upper extremities or the lower extremities, and may specialize further in specific types of surgery, like arthroscopy or robotic surgery.
Your shoulders are the most flexible joints in your body, and you want to maintain that flexibility and range of motion as much as possible. The shoulder enables you to do so many things, from golfing to playing tennis to driving a car to just getting dressed.
The hand is a delicate part of the body. It contains a complex network of blood vessels, nerves, ligaments, and muscles. It also plays an integral role in our daily activities. Thus, it is essential not to ignore hand injuries and disorders. They can cause varying levels of pain and discomfort, loss of movement, and the possibility of impaired function.
