No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen. A slip on wet floors might strain muscles you didn’t know you could hurt. A workplace or car accident could lead to lingering pain. Or worse, you could suffer from fracture or permanent joint pain.
When these injuries happen, you need more than rest to heal. Orthopedic solutions help restore movement, lessen pain and help you get back to your daily activities. In this blog, we will discuss the different orthopedic car options you may need, either helping you with pain today or in the future. At 1-800-ASK-GARY®, it’s our goal to help you match with the best medical professionals in your community, including orthopedic doctors.
How Orthopedic Solutions Can Heal Injuries
When an accident happens, a slip and fall or a car accident, it could lead to serious injuries that could limit your movements or cause long-term discomfort and/or pain. Utilizing orthopedic solution can help manage and even heal your injuries. Here’s how orthopedic surgeons can help you manage and treat your orthopedic injuries.
Broken Bone Management
Broken bones typically take longer to heal and need additional support, however, all injuries may require personalized approaches depending on the severity or location on the body. Fracture management is one of the orthopedic techniques used to treat fractures. It involves casts, splints, or braces. In more serious cases, the orthopedist may require the use of metal plates, screws, or rods through surgery.
Realign Dislocated Joints
Some accidents may not lead to visible injuries and instead could be related to dislocated joints. For treatment, orthopedic professionals need to manually realign the joint. If dislocation is severe, doctors might need surgically repair the injury.
Repair Soft Tissue Damage
In most cases, treatment involves the patient being monitored by a physical therapist and completing therapy exercises targeting the strain or sprain. It can also include RICE, or rest, ice, compression and elevation. In more serious cases, surgery may be required.
Specialized Orthopedic Surgeries
Severe injuries need more complicated orthopedic interventions, such as surgery. These procedures are designed to target specific conditions, restore function, and reduce discomfort. Here are examples of common surgical interventions.
Meniscal Repair
Meniscal repair is done to fix torn cartilage, specifically a torn meniscus, which can cause knee pain and swelling. During the surgery, orthopedic surgeons will trim or stitch the damaged tissue back together to treat the knee surgery.
Meniscal repair is a surgical procedure aimed to fix torn meniscus, which can cause knee pain and swelling. The meniscus is a C-shaped cartilage in the knee that acts as a cushion for the knee joint. The surgery should restore knee function and heal the tear and possibly preventing further surgical interventions, such as meniscectomy (meniscus removal). Typically minimally invasive, this surgery is completed under an hour. Recovery time can vary, but can take several months of physical therapy and pain management, to regain range of motion.
ACL Reconstruction
If you have ever watched an NBA game, you might have heard of players unable to play due to an ACL injury. ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), is a major ligament within the knee. While it is most common in athletes, this injury can happen to anyone. In minor injuries, patients need physical therapy and rest for up to two months. In more serious cases, orthopedic surgeons need to repair the ACL by reconstructing the damaged ligament using a graft from another part of the body.
Knee Replacement
If you have severe arthritis or knee joint damage, you’ll need knee replacement surgery. During this procedure, orthopedic doctors will replace worn-out joint surfaces with artificial components.
Knee replacement surgery, otherwise known as knee arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure where parts of the knee joint are replaced with artificial components. Typically knee replacement surgery is performed to relieve long-term pain and improve mobility. This surgical procedure involves replacing one or all of the three areas within the knee. Post surgery, a patient can expect several months of rehabilitation and rest for full recovery. There are a variety of reasons why someone may need knee replacement surgery, but here are some common examples:
- Osteoarthritis: Degenerative joint disease where the cartilage within the knee joint wears away, causing bone-on-bone friction and pain.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Inflammatory condition where the immune system attacks the knee joint, causing pain, swelling and stiffness.
- Knee Injuries: From minor sprains, fractures to torn ligaments and cartilage damage, these can lead to arthritis and severe pain.
Wrist and Ankle Surgery
These surgeries focus on a wide range of procedures for a variety of conditions, including but not limited to, fractures, ligament tears, and arthritis. Wrist and ankle surgeries are minimally invasive, depending on the specific issue and complexity. Surgeons use pins, screws, or plates to stabilize your joint and promote healing. Wrist surgeries most commonly fix concerns from fractures, joint replacement, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or other underlying issues. Ankle surgeries fix concerns from fractures, ligament tears, cartilage damage, or full replacements.
Carpal Tunnel Surgery
Carpal tunnel surgery is also among the specialized orthopedic solutions needed for advanced stages of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). It eases numbness and tingling caused by compressed nerves in the wrist by releasing pressure on the median nerve, which improves hand function and comfort.
Orthopedic Care Without Surgery
An orthopedic injury doesn’t always need surgery. These non-surgical options can also reduce pain, improve movement, and make recovery faster.
Cold Therapy Systems
A cold therapy system works by using a special medical device, which applies controlled cooling to injured areas. It can help manage pain and swelling after injuries. Cold therapy systems are also used after orthopedic surgeries.
Injection Therapy
Injection therapy is a non-invasive orthopedic solution that involves injecting medicine, such as a corticosteroid drug, directly into the affected area. This helps in reducing swelling and pain caused by joint inflammation, tendonitis, or arthritis.
Do You Need Orthopedic Care?
Knowing when to seek orthopedic care is important for the duration of your therapy or the necessity of surgery. If you are experiencing some of the symptoms listed below, please seek medical attention and orthopedic intervention.
Persistent Pain
Arthritis, tendonitis, or old injuries can cause persistent pain in the joint, muscle, or bone. If your pain lasts for weeks or months despite rest, it would be best to seek orthopedic care.
Stiff Joints or Difficulty Moving
Another sign to seek orthopedic treatment is when you have ongoing stiff joints or have difficulty moving. You will know these symptoms if you can no longer climb stairs, bend over, or struggle to do other daily tasks. These symptoms are usually caused by an injury or wear and tear on orthopedic extremities, such as shoulders, knees, or hips.
Injuries From Accidents
If the injuries you get from an accident cause severe symptoms, then you should seek help from orthopedic experts. Among the symptoms you must look out for are intense pain, swelling, or visible deformities.
Why Choosing the Right Orthopedic Doctor Matters
Finding the best doctor for the orthopedic care you need can make a difference in both your treatment and recovery. The right orthopedic specialist will make sure you get the best treatment. Here are some tips on how to find the right orthopedic.
1. Ask for Recommendations
If you need a reliable orthopedic solution provider, you can ask for suggestions from your primary care doctor, family, or friends. If you got into an accident, like slip and fall or car accident, you can also call 1-800-ASK-GARY®. Our team will listen to your medical needs and partner you with the right orthopedic doctor.
2. Check Qualifications
Make sure that the physicians, doctors, physical therapists and surgereons are board-certified doctors with specific experience in treating your condition.
3. Observe Communication Style
Observe how they communicate with you. The right orthopedist will listen carefully and explain all the treatment steps with patience.
4. Read Reviews
If you are seeking medical advice from a good orthopedic surgeon, they’ll likely have positive online reviews and testimonials. Always check what previous patients say about their experiences to know how caring and skilled the health professional is.
How 1-800-ASK-GARY® Can Help You
At ASK GARY, we understand the challenge of seeking orthopedic solutions and how hard it is to find the right doctor for your needs. This is what our team is here for. We can connect you with trusted medical providers to make your recovery easier and pain-free.
Our injury helpline is available 24/7 to make sure you get the assistance you need, night and day. With decades of experience, we’ve connected thousands of patients with qualified doctors and personal injury lawyers.
Our network includes certified specialists, such as orthopedic doctors, who are ready to provide personalized medical care. When it comes to legal support, our team can link you with experienced personal injury attorneys who can handle complex insurance claims and fight for fair compensation.
If you need orthopedic care or legal assistance, you can call us anytime by dialing 1-800-275-4279. You can also visit our website to learn more about us.
