An orthopaedic doctor is in charge of treating problems that affect the motor system. It is responsible for diagnosing, treating (with therapies or surgeries), rehabilitating and preventing the conditions suffered due to accidents, congenital problems or poor posture practices.
Like any other specialization, an orthopedist is trained in general practice but can specialize in any particular limb: shoulder, foot, hand, spine, or knee. On the other hand, it is more and more frequent that posture deformities appear in the spine, which implies a higher demand for orthopaedics in London, specialized in the correction of trauma or deformations in the musculoskeletal system, consisting of the nerves, ligaments, joints, tendons, muscles and bones.
What Does An Orthopaedic Doctor Do?
The orthopaedic doctor has four functions that we will see below: He diagnoses, treats, rehabilitates and prevents.
- Diagnosis
Musculoskeletal injuries represent a problem in the general population, caused in most cases by poor work or posture habits, when sports or other accidents occur and by the natural wear of the body as a result of age. An orthopedist is trained to make an appropriate diagnosis, depending on the patient’s condition.
- Treatment
Once the orthopedist makes a diagnosis of the problem, he proceeds to treat it as he deems to be the best and most effective treatment to correct and heal the discomfort. This treatment can be with medications, therapies or surgery. The treatment that the orthopaedic doctor chooses has to do with the type of disease, the level of damage and the area where it is located.
- Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is a fundamental phase of the recovery process; without right rehabilitation, any treatment can fail. In this way, the orthopedist will plan exercise routines or physical therapy to regain mobility, strength and normal functioning of the affected limb. The excellent result of the rehabilitation has to do with the will of the patient to recover, who is aware of the situation and will know how to cope with the indicated therapy after treatment.
- Prevention
Like the other functions, the orthopedist must give a series of instructions to the patient to follow at home and create strategies to avoid injuries or delay the progression of diseases. The success of prevention depends on the patient’s participation since the patient must abide by the indications mentioned above and follow the specialist’s instructions.
