Orthopedics is a subspecialty within medicine that focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating disorders of bone, joints, and muscles. Orthopedic surgeons, including Stephen Fisher, MD, are experts in treating these orthopedic conditions.
They have extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology. They also help patients to rehabilitate after an injury or surgery. Unfortunately, most patients do not know when to visit an orthopedic surgeon.
Here are instances when you should visit an orthopedic surgeon.
Tendonitis
Tendonitis is a common problem in the knees and other joints. It causes pain, swelling, and stiffness, which usually worsens when you move your joints. If you have tendonitis, your orthopedic surgeon will look for swelling and inflammation of your tendons, which are bands of tough tissue that connect muscles to bones at the joints.
Rotator cuff tear
Rotator cuff tears happen when one of the four tendons that connect your shoulder to your upper arm is torn, resulting in pain and disability. In most cases, surgery is necessary to repair the tear and restore your shoulder joint’s full range of motion.
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. This condition causes pain in your heel and arch and stiffness in your toes. The best way to treat this condition is through proper exercise therapy, but if that fails or you are not a runner, then surgery may be necessary to fix the problem.
Stress fractures
The most common type of stress fracture is a tibial plateau fracture, also known as a stress fracture. This occurs when there is insufficient bone strength in one area of your body, causing it to break down under stress, like running on uneven ground or doing heavy squats or lunges repeatedly over time without proper recovery time between each set.
Arthritis of the knee, shoulder, or cervical spine
If you have arthritis of the knee or shoulder, it may be time to consider an orthopedic surgeon. When the joints are inflamed and swollen, they cannot move freely. This makes it difficult for you to perform everyday tasks.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome causes pain in the wrist. The carpal tunnel is a passageway for nerves that pass through the bones of the hand and into the arm. The symptoms include numbness, tingling, and pain in the fingers or hands.
If you have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, your doctor may recommend surgery to repair a torn ligament. Surgery can also relieve pain in some cases by removing bone spurs from your wrist.
Herniated discs
If you have a disc that has bulged out of place or is causing pressure on the nerve root, it will be diagnosed as a herniated disc. This can cause extreme pain, numbness, and weakness in your legs and lower back. If this is the case, you need an orthopedic surgeon specializing in herniated discs.
Look for an orthopedic surgeon who uses a patient-centered approach. You want someone who will listen to your needs, answer any questions you have, and give you the best care possible. In this case, contact an orthopedic surgeon familiar with the latest technology and procedures available. This includes treatments like stem cell injections, platelet-rich plasma injections, arthroscopic surgery, and more.
