At Sparks Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, the highly trained and experienced physicians understand and are dedicated to helping you find a brighter tomorrow by restoring your health and enabling you to get back to your life. Benefiting from the latest innovations in musculoskeletal treatments and surgeries, as well as wound care, patients at Sparks Orthopedics & Sports Medicine are discovering these advanced treatments are less traumatic, less painful, and their return to health is much faster.
Dr. Danny Sparks Dr. Daniel Sparks Dr. Dierick Sparks Dr. James “Dusty” Smith
The quick answer is an orthopedic surgeon is a physician (who has a medical degree D.O. or M.D) who is trained in diagnosis, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of disorders, injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system of the body. Ortho is an accepted abbreviation for an Orthopedic Doctor.
So, What Does an Orthopedic Doctor Treat?
Many people ask what does an orthopedic doctor do, or what does a orthopedic doctor treat. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and non surgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine disorders, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, and congenital disorders. Non-surgical treatment may involve using medication, exercise and other rehabilitation or alternative therapies. It may be necessary to recommend surgical treatment if the patient does not respond to conservative treatment. The musculoskeletal system includes bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves and tendons. They are involved with the diagnosis and preoperative, operative, and postoperative treatment. Orthopedic surgeons are trained to treat all aspects of the musculoskeletal system. However, many orthopedic surgeons specialize in specific areas , such as hand, shoulder, elbow, spine, hip , knee or foot and ankle. Orthopedics also may choose to specialize in fields like trauma, sports medicine, reconstructive surgery or pediatrics. Orthopedic surgeons often work closely with other health care providers and frequently serve as consultants to other physicians.
Top Orthopedic Surgeons, What Do They Do?
Currently, orthopedic physicians treat the following:
Sports Medicine Injuries.
Orthopedic trauma and fractures.
Back, neck, and other injuries to the spine, facets, muscles, nerves and discs.
Shoulder pathologies, Carpal tunnel and hand/finger injuries.
Bunions, plantar fasciitis and other foot and ankle injuries.
Osteoarthritis and Arthritis.
Knee and Hip Injuries.
Injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Fracture Care
Procedures: What do Orthopedists Do?
Many advances in orthopedic surgery have resulted from experiences during times of war and have progressed to the advanced procedures and techniques we have today.
What do Orthopedists Do? Here is the answer:
Arthroscopy- a procedure using a camera to visualize inside the joint
Fusion- a procedure using rods or internal devices in which bones are fused together
Internal Fixation – a procedure used to hold broken pieces of bone together with either plates, screws or pins
Joint replacement – a damaged joint is removed and replaced by a artificial joint either partial, total or revision
Osteotomy- the correction of bone deformity by cutting and re-positioning the bone
Soft tissue repair- repair of tendons or ligaments
Injections
Training of Orthopedic Surgeons
Many patients ask, what is a orthopedic surgeon? Orthopedic surgeons have extensive training to diagnose, treat (non-surgical or surgical) and rehabilitate issues of the musculoskeletal system. They first must complete four years of study from a college for an undergraduate degree. Then four years of study from an accredited medical school to obtain their M.D. or D.O. followed by five years of concentrated study in an orthopedic residency program at a major medical center. After residency one may choose to participate in an extra year or two of a fellowship program to obtain training in a specialty area of orthopedics. It is important the orthopedic surgeon become board certified which involves undergoing a peer review process and then demonstrating his/her expertise in orthopedics by passing both oral and written examinations given by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. In the US, specialists in hand surgery and orthopedic sports medicine may obtain a Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in addition to their board primary certification by successfully completing a separate standardized examination. Sub specialty areas are : Hand surgery , Shoulder and elbow surgery, total joint reconstruction (arthroplasty) , Pediatric orthopedics, Foot and ankle surgery, Spine surgery, Surgical Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Trauma. Orthopedic surgeons spend many hours studying and attending continued medical education courses to maintain current orthopedic knowledge and skills. They complete a rigorous re-certification process every ten years.
