Orthopedic Surgeon: Arthroscopy Explained

With medical advancement today, the term arthroscopy is now common in the field of orthopedics. It is a surgical procedure that allows surgeons to see possible joint problems, helping them diagnose and treat the condition. Using a kind of endoscope called arthroscope, this procedure is done by making a small incision and then inserting the instrument to see what’s within the joint. It is often performed to analyze a patient’s condition or treat orthopedic problems such as damaged cartilage and ACL condition.

The Importance of an Orthopedic Surgeon for Injuries

A good orthopedic surgeon is like a part of any athletic team. With the help and guidance of an orthopedic surgeon, the physical qualities of team members are always at its peak, and in the unfortunate event of an injury, an orthopedic surgeon is there to help.

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.

Seeing an Orthopedic Surgeon After a Sports Injury

If you have sprained your ankle while playing basketball or shattered your wrist while playing baseball, you may want to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. While these professionals don't specialize in sports medicine per se, they do work with many parts of the body that are affected by sports injuries.

Help From An Orthopedic Surgeon

Playing sports is often fun until there is an injury. Some injuries can be walked off with a little pain medication and rest while others might require seeing an orthopedic surgeon.

What Does An Orthopedic Surgeon Do?

Orthopedic Surgeons do a lot for people who are hurting, whether it is a sport’s injury, an older person who needs their knee replaced, or a problem with tendons, muscles, ligaments, nerves, or even various bone problems and skin. It is a specialty that covers the musculoskeletal system of the body, and provides help with injuries, deformities and degenerative diseases of hands, feet, spine, knees, shoulders, and elbows. They also deal with infections, tumors, trauma, and metabolic problems. Their main purpose is to bring back function that has been lost because of an injury or from a disease that has damaged these areas. They also work with other doctors and do consultations which involve a lot of emergency room work usually in multiple injury cases. They work with people in all age brackets.

Overuse Injuries Commonly Occur in Dancers

One of the most popular recreational activities in Colorado Springs for young girls and adolescents is dance. Many parents enroll their children in dance classes to help keep their children fit and allow them to develop new skills. Unfortunately, almost 90 percent of dancers experience an injury during the lifetime. While acute injuries from accidents occasionally occur, the most common injuries that orthopedic surgeons must treat in dancers are from overuse.

When It's Time to See an Orthopedic Surgeon

Experiencing some pain after weekend sports or after overdoing it at the gym isn't automatically a reason to see an orthopedic surgeon in Colorado Springs. When pain becomes progressively worse or doesn't go away after a little rest, however, it helps to know when it makes sense to consult an orthopedic surgeon.

Orthopedic Surgeon: When Exercise Goes All Wrong

Physical exercises keep the human body healthy, but these have to be executed with knowledge and care, integrating warm-ups after every intense movements. Improper twisting, lifting, pushing, or landing, whether in sports or exercise can cause musculoskeletal injuries. Common types of sports injuries are bone fractures, muscle sprains, ligament tears, and dislocated joints. 

Preparing For your Orthopedic Appointment

Going to your orthopedic appointment is no less different than preparing to go see your family doctor for an appointment or treatment. You still have to prepare yourself. Be punctual; you are strongly advised to arrive 15-30 minutes early than your scheduled appointment to allow time to complete your health questionnaire, with all the necessary details on your medical condition and history. Being late not only aggravates your doctor, but the other patients, as well. 

Considerations About Your Orthopedic Surgeon

The decision to have a knee surgery is a major step toward reclaiming a comfortable lifestyle. It is also vital that you feel comfortable with your choice of orthopedic surgeon who will perform the procedure on you. Here are important considerations. Your surgeon:

• Must be familiar with and adept in the surgery you’re getting. The surgeon must have performed the procedure many times in the past to have expertise and experience in the field. It is necessary to trust your health with someone who has handled similar cases.

Dealing With a Herniated Disc

Your spine is composed of a set of vertebrae separated by discs, which serve as shock absorbers for your back. Once these cushions weaken or tear and compress the spinal nerve due to an injury or a degenerative disease, you could suffer pain in your spinal nerve, a condition known as disc herniation. There are two types of disc herniation, namely lumbar disc herniation and cervical disc herniation, with the former being the most common source of back pain among people.

The Torn ACL: Every Athlete’s Nightmare

You’ve seen basketball star Derrick Rose, golf legend Tiger Woods, and countless others miss entire seasons just because of the same injury: a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). An ACL tear is a common knee injury that affects one of the four ligaments that stabilizes the knee, and is aptly considered a nightmare for athletes all over.

Characterized by hearing a discrete “popping” sound in the knee following a sudden deceleration or landing maneuver, a torn ACL is also known for the searing pain it causes. ACL tears are frequent in contact sports (i.e. boxing) or sports that require rapid changes in direction (i.e. basketball). Most of the time, the ACL is prone to tearing due to a twisting movement while supporting weight—landing from a jump, for example.