When you break a bone or strain a ligament, you’ll likely need orthopedic care. That’s because orthopedics is the medical specialty that focuses on treating your musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system includes muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. This covers a wide area of the body. As a result, orthopedic providers are able to see patients for a wide variety of ailments.
Sometimes you’ll see an orthopedic physician due to an acute injury. An example would be a broken arm or leg bone, a torn ligament, or an injury. In other cases, you may be referred to an orthopedic physician due to age or use-related wear and tear. An example here might be carpal tunnel syndrome or some types of joint pain. Orthopedic physicians can also treat athletic injuries, such as ACL tears.
In many cases, orthopedic treatments will revolve around rehabilitation and repair. In some instances, successful treatment might require surgery–but not always.
Orthopedic Care at Yankton Medical Clinic
At Vermillion Medical Clinic we provide our patients with the latest technologies and procedures in orthopedic care is what we do. You can expect the highest level of care found in major cities and hospitals across the region right here at home in Vermillion SD.
What is the Musculoskeletal System?
Your body is composed of various systems. Your cardiovascular system delivers oxygenated blood all across your body. Your nervous system is responsible for carrying electrical impulses all across your body. You can think of your musculoskeletal system as the pulleys, levers, and machinery of your body: it’s all those parts responsible for carrying out the movement and acting on the physical world.
As a result, injuries or diseases of the musculoskeletal system can cause significant impacts on your overall mobility. If a broken bone does not heal properly, you may walk with a limp, for example.
Most orthopedic injuries and diseases are characterized, at least in part, by pain. Your orthopedic physician will be able to help you determine the cause of your pain and develop the appropriate treatment.
How Are Orthopedic Issues Treated?
Many people assume that surgery is the default treatment for orthopedic symptoms. That’s not necessarily the case. The exact treatment approach will depend on your symptoms, your level of pain and discomfort, and the root cause of your injury. In general, however, non-surgical interventions and therapies are usually attempted first–before any patient undergoes surgery.
Orthopedic conditions can be treated in the following ways:
- Rest: When orthopedic injuries are caused by overstressing, over-using, or repetitive motion, rest is often the first treatment option. This will give your body a chance to heal itself. It’s worth noting, however, that rest is not an appropriate treatment option for all orthopedic injuries.
- Medication: In some cases, your physician may prescribe medications to ease your symptoms.
- Braces and splints: Partially immobilizing or giving additional support to your musculoskeletal system can often be part of your treatment with an orthopedic specialist. For example, if you break a wrist, you may be placed in a splint. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you may be instructed to use a brace for added ergonomic support.
- Physical therapy: Physical therapy is often a part of an orthopedic treatment plan. For some patients, physical therapy can help avoid the need for surgery. For others, physical therapy can help speed up recovery and recuperation after surgical intervention. The goal of physical therapy is often to strengthen muscles and to improve your range of motion.
- Surgery: In some cases, surgery may be necessary to repair damage caused by an injury or to replace damaged portions of your system. For example, knee replacement therapy may sometimes be needed to replace a painful joint caused by age combined with wear and tear. The artificial joint can improve mobility and significantly diminish pain. In this instance, as example, surgery is the primary means of treatment.
Your orthopedic physician will know which treatment option is best for treating your condition. If you are experiencing pain in your bones, muscles, tendons, or ligaments–especially if that pain is limiting your range of motion–it’s important to talk to your orthopedic physician as soon as possible.
Our orthopedic surgeons specialize in these and other orthopedic conditions:
- Joint replacement: Knee, hip, and shoulder
- Fracture care
- Carpal Tunnel surgery
- Athletic injuries
- Rotator cuff repair
- Cervical and lumbar spine stenosis
- Scoliosis
- Disk herniations
- Sciatica
- Foot & ankle conditions
- Ankle sprains
- Bunions
- Achilles tendonitis
- Heel pain
- Ankle pain
- Ankle instability
When you need orthopedic care, call the experts who are committed to providing you exceptional health care so close to home.
