Orthopedic doctors (sometimes also called orthopaedic doctors or orthopaedic surgeons) are doctors who focus on caring for your bones, joints, ligaments, nerves, and tendons (the tissue that connects bones and joints). These parts of your body are also referred to as your “musculoskeletal system.”
Orthopedic doctors:
• diagnose and treat injuries caused by sports or physical activity;
• help you manage conditions that usually get worse over time, like arthritis or osteoporosis; and
• help you avoid pain and discomfort from using a muscle or joint too often (also called “overuse injuries”).
Orthopedic doctors specialize in treating these parts of the body:
• hand and wrist
• foot and ankle
• knee
• shoulder and elbow
• neck
• back
• hips
