When Is It Time To See an Orthopedic Surgeon?

An injury while playing sports is common. It could be something as simple as a sprain, or if could be something more severe, such as a broken leg or arm. After the injury occurs, you might debate on going to an orthopedic surgeon depending on the severity of the injury. There are a few guidelines that you can follow to determine whether you need to see a surgeon or if you can nurse the injury at home with pain medications, bandages and elevating the area.

 

The first thing that you should do is get the area x-rayed by an emergency room doctor or your family physician. The x-ray can give a lot of information as to whether there is a fracture, a chip of a bone or a broken bone. Sometimes, you might mistake swelling for a sprain, but there could be a broken bone that only shows on an x-ray.

If there is any kind of pain, then consider seeing an orthopedic doctor. You never know what the pain might be coming from unless you get it examined. Some pains are from breaks that can hide behind other bones, especially those that are in the legs and ankles.

If the pain progresses over the course of a few days, then there could be something wrong. Swelling that doesn't go away or that gets worse could also be an indication that something needs to be treated as most of the swelling goes down with ice and elevation after a few days.