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Our musculoskeletal system is a complex system comprising of bone, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and skin. General orthopedics is the field of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system and a variety of orthopedic conditions.

Conditions

Sprains and Strains

Sprains and strains are injuries affecting the muscles and ligaments. A sprain is an injury or tear of one or more ligaments that commonly occurs at the wrist, knee, ankle or thumb. A strain is an injury or tears to the muscle. Strains occur commonly in the back and legs.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis. It occurs most often in older people. This disease affects the tissue covering the ends of bones in a joint (cartilage).In a person with osteoarthritis, the cartilage becomes damaged and worn out causing pain, swelling, stiffness and restricted movement in the affected joint. This condition most commonly affects the joints in the hips, knees, hands, and spine. Rarely, the disease may affect the shoulders, wrists, and feet.

Inflammatory Arthritis

Inflammation of the joints is referred to as arthritis. The inflammation arises when the smooth covering (cartilage) at the end surfaces of the bones wears away. In some cases, the inflammation is caused when the lining of the joint becomes inflamed as part of an underlying systemic disease. These conditions are referred to as inflammatory arthritis. It is an autoimmune disease because it occurs when your immune system, which normally fights against infection, starts destroying healthy joints.

Trauma

Trauma is defined as a sudden incident causing physical injury. It is a broad term describing all types of injuries affecting the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels, or bones that most commonly occur during sports, exercise, or any other physical activity. Trauma may be a result of accidents, poor training practices, insufficient warm-up and stretching exercises, or from use of improper gear. The term is wide-ranging and may include sprains, strains, minor fractures, dislocations, or serious broken bones with a direct threat to the patient’s life.

Tendon Injuries

Tendons are powerful fibrous cords which connect muscle to bone. When you overstretch a tendon, it can rupture (tear) completely or partially. This rupturing of the tendon due to overstretching is known as a tendon injury. You typically feel a snap or popping sensation when you rupture your tendon followed by a sharp pain which is likely to affect your mobility and muscle function. Surgery is often regarded as the best treatment.

Loose Bodies

Loose bodies are small loose fragments of cartilage or a piece of bone that floats around the joint. The loose bodies can cause pain, swelling, locking and catching of the joint.

Muscle and Joint Pain

Muscle pain or myalgia is a discomfort experienced in the muscle tissue and can be felt practically anywhere in the body.

Pediatric Fractures

Fractures are more common in children due to their activities as well as their bone properties. Children are more active than adults and management of fractures in them also differs as compared to that in adults. Fractures occur when the bone is subjected to excessive stress than normal. It is very common in children because of the presence of a growth plate which is the area of the child’s bone that consists of cartilage cells that transform into solid bone as the child grows. Growth plate fractures occur more often because it is the weakest area in the bone.

Musculoskeletal Injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries are any injuries causing damage to bone, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves and related structures. They can occur in any area of your musculoskeletal system such as the neck, back, hips, knees, shoulders, or elbows.

Bone Spurs

Bone spurs, also called osteophytes, are bony projections that develop along the edges of a bone or in the area where muscles, tendons, and ligaments are attached. Bone spurs are often found in joints and also in the bones of the spine.

Muscle Strains

A tear in the muscle fibers caused by either a fall or direct blow to the muscle, overstretching and overuse injury can be called a muscle strain. Muscle strains often occur in the hip region whenever a muscle contracts suddenly from its stretched position. It can be mild, moderate or severe and depends on the level of injury. The chances of having a hip muscle strain become high if you have had a previous injury in the area or if there is no warm-up before exercising.

Tendinopathies

Tendons are tough cord-like tissues made up of collagen protein that connect your muscles to your bones. Tendinopathy is a breakdown of collagen in the tendon resulting in pain along with reduced range of motion and flexibility. Tendinopathy can occur in any of your tendons, but it is most common around your elbows, shoulders, wrists, heels, and knees. Some of the commonly affected tendons are:

Tendinitis

Tendons are fibrous cords that anchor muscles to bones. Tendinitis is a condition in which a tendon becomes inflamed or irritated. Although any tendon can be affected, commonly the tendons around the joints such as the shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles are involved.

Biceps Pathology

Biceps pathology is the study of diseases or conditions affecting the biceps muscle including cause, origin, diagnosis, and nature of the disease.

Understanding Your Neck and Back Pain

The neck supports and assists in movement of the head. It is the most flexible part of the spine and consists of 7 cervical vertebrae, the cervical segment of the spinal cord, spinal nerves, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Neck pain can be secondary to a problem affecting any of these structures due to injury, trauma, or wear and tear.

Procedures

Tendon Repair Surgery

Tendon repair surgery is performed to repair a torn or ruptured tendon and restore normal function and movement to the joint. It is usually performed by arthroscopy. An arthroscope is a thin, pencil-like device fitted with a camera and a light source. The arthroscope is inserted through a small incision which allows your surgeon to view images of the torn tendon on a monitor and help operate miniature surgical instruments to perform the surgery.

Benefits of Arthroscopic Surgery

Arthroscopic surgery, also known as arthroscopy, is a surgical procedure to visualize, diagnose, and treat problems inside a joint using a specialized instrument known as an arthroscope.

Others

Sports Medicine

Sports Medicine, also known as sports and exercise medicine (SEM), is a branch of medicine that deals with the treatment and prevention of sports and exercise-related injuries and improving fitness and performance. The main objective of sports medicine is to help individuals engage in sports and exercise in a safe and effective manner to accomplish their training goals.

Fracture Care

A bone fracture is a medical condition in which a bone is cracked or broken. It is a break in the continuity of the bone. While many fractures are the result of high-force impact or stress, bone fractures can also occur because of certain medical conditions that weaken the bones, such as osteoporosis.

Osteoarthritis Management

Osteoarthritis also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis. It occurs most often in older people. This disease affects the tissue covering the ends of bones in a joint (cartilage). Osteoarthritis is characterized by damaged articular cartilage, cartilage lining the hip joint. Advanced age is one of the most common reasons for osteoarthritis of the hip. You may also develop osteoarthritis if you had a hip injury or fracture in the past, if you have a family history of osteoarthritis, suffering from hip diseases such as avascular necrosis and other congenital or developmental hip diseases.

Orthobiologics

Orthobiologics are natural substances such as cells, tissue, blood components, and growth factors that are harnessed to aid in the treatment of orthopedic injuries or conditions. They may be used to replace lost tissue, stimulate regeneration and healing, reduce pain and inflammation, and improve joint function.