If you suffer from an orthopedic condition or get injured in an accident, seeing an experienced specialist is the best way to ensure that you get the care you need as quickly as possible.
An orthopedic condition is anything that affects the musculoskeletal system. That includes bones, muscles, and connective tissues like tendons and ligaments. Although many practitioners treat orthopedic conditions, an orthopedic physician has experience and insight that can prevent possible misdiagnosis or a treatment that is not effective for your condition or unique needs.
When should you go to an orthopedic physician? Here are some of the conditions you will want to see an orthopedic physician for.
Sports Injuries
Any injury occurring while participating in sports can be best cared for by an orthopedic physician who has a further specialization in sports medicine. This training and expertise ensures your injury is cared for with the additional goal of returning to top performance as quickly as possible.
Auto Accidents
Auto accidents are traumatic for everyone involved. Many times, an injury is not noticed at the time of the accident, but pain and stiffness become gradually noticeable after the initial shock has worn off. From sprains and fractures to whiplash, an orthopedic physician will evaluate the extent of your injuries and help you heal.
Joint Pain
Pain in the joints, whether it is your knee, hip, ankle, or any other joint, can come on so gradually that you take the pain and loss of mobility as a fact of life and do not seek treatment.
But painful joints due to osteoarthritis or other causes can be successfully treated, usually without surgery. An orthopedic doctor will evaluate the underlying cause of your pain and determine a treatment plan to stop the pain from progressing and reduce or eliminate it. Treatment could include assistive devices that encourage healthy movement, medication, exercise, physical therapy, and/or injections. If the joint has deteriorated past the point of more conservative treatments and the pain is severe, an orthopedic surgeon can perform joint replacement surgery to eliminate the pain and allow you to regain the ability to return to your regular activities, pain-free. The number of joint replacement procedures performed every year is on the rise as people are living longer, more active lives.
Neck Pain
As common as neck pain is, many people do not seek treatment for it. There are new pain management techniques and procedures that are conservative or less invasive than surgery that will stop neck pain exactly where it starts. Orthopedic physicians with a pain management or neurology specialization can help.
Pediatric Orthopedics
An orthopedic physician who specializes in pediatrics treats children with injuries and congenital bone defects. Children heal much more quickly than adults, but the injury needs to be identified and set properly to restore function and ensure that there will be no problems as the child grows and matures.
Special care needs to be taken with a child’s injury if the growth plate is affected. Pediatric orthopedic physicians have the training and experience necessary to ensure children heal quickly and properly.
North Country Orthopaedic Group is proud to serve northern New York from its Watertown, New York, facility. Our practice has grown since its founding in 1959 to include five orthopedic surgeons as well as a physiatrist who specializes in the nonsurgical care of orthopedic conditions and injuries. North Country Orthopaedic Group offers on-site imaging and physical therapy. Call (315) 782-1650 to speak with one of our friendly office staff for an appointment today.
