Orthopedic Surgeon Q&A

An orthopedic surgeon is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of injuries and conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system. As such, their area of expertise covers most of the body, including bones, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, and more. Some orthopedic surgeons specialize in a particular area of the musculoskeletal system, such as the hand, foot and ankle, hip and knee, shoulder and elbow, or the spine, while others are generalists.

Orthopedic surgeons complete 14 years of medical school and training before they are fully qualified. That education involves a four-year undergraduate degree, followed by four years of medical school and five to six years in an orthopedic surgery residency training program. After the residency program, orthopedic surgeons have the option to enroll in a board certification program through the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS).

If you require treatment from an orthopedic surgeon, you may feel as though you have questions but don’t know where to start. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some good questions to ask your orthopedic surgeon:

• Why do you recommend surgery?
• What preparations do I need to consider before surgery?
• What are the success rates of this surgery for my condition?
• What is your training, education, and specialty?
• Are there surgery alternatives?
• At what point after surgery does physical therapy begin?
• How long is the recovery process, and what do I need to avoid during that time?
• How much postoperative pain will I be in, and what can I do to minimize it?
• When will my joints feel normal again?
• How much improvement can I expect from the procedure for strength, flexibility, pain, and range of motion?
• Are there any risks associated with the procedure, and how likely are they?
• When will I be able to return to work or drive again?

Some of the most common orthopedic surgeries are as follows:

• Ankle reconstruction surgery
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery
• Hip replacement surgery
• Joint fusion surgery
• Knee or shoulder arthroscopy
• Knee replacement surgery
• Rotator cuff surgery
• Shoulder replacement surgery

During an initial orthopedic appointment, your surgeon will conduct a thorough review of your medical history. With this review, they will want to know such things as your current symptoms, any medications you are taking, underlying medical conditions you have, past surgeries or hospitalizations, and other helpful information.

Your orthopedic surgeon will also want to evaluate your overall ability to move various joints and muscles through such activities as walking, standing, sitting, climbing, bending forward and backward, and other movements. During such evaluations, they will assess your range of motion, flexibility, and strength to rule out or diagnose possible conditions or injuries.

Depending on what they find with the medical history review and general physical evaluation, they may recommend further X-ray imaging or tests and offer suggestions for the type of treatment you should pursue, including if surgery is required or not.

Dr D is a highly skilled and qualified surgeon and would be pleased to provide orthopedic services to you! For an appointment or more information, please call or visit our website to make an appointment. We serve patients from Massapequa NY, Wantagh NY, Plainedge NY, Seaford NY, Amityville NY, Copiague NY, and Lindenhurst NY.