Signs it’s Time to Visit an Orthopedic Surgeon

running, cycling, swimming, and everyday tasks difficult, sometimes even unbearable to do. There are hundreds of joints and bones in the human body, and the misplacement of just one can create immense pain that may require the help of an orthopedic surgeon to correct.

An orthopedic surgeon specializes in the health of bones and joints and targets their practice towards treating injuries and degenerative conditions that affect the bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles, In addition, they work to diagnose your injury and provide a treatment plan that works to improve your daily function long term, while also performing minimally invasive surgeries to reduce recovery periods. Knowing when to visit an orthopedic specialist is not always clear, however there are certain signs that suggest you visit one, and it is important to be aware of them, as injuries that initially seem minor could potentially result in long term ailments if proper and timely medical attention is not seek.

Following an injury, it is advised to immediately execute the PRICE Method, which stands for Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. However, it may be time to visit NYC Orthopedic Group if the PRICE method does not relieve pain after 3 days. NYC orthopedic group is home to one of New York’s most recognized sports medicine orthopedic surgeons, Dr. William L. King, who specializes in sports-related, musculoskeletal injuries.

What may be Causing your Pain

When visiting your Orthopedic Specialist, they would be able to identify and diagnose your ailment by conducting a physical examination or image testing, such as an X-ray or MRI. Orthopedic surgeons specialize in treating bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles, and pain in these areas can be the result of various factors, such as a bad fall, sports injury, or even through the repeated use over time.

Common causes of bone, muscle, and joint pain include:

1. Injuries, broken bones, muscle tears, fractures, and sprains
2. Wear and tear of muscles due to aging or physical activity, such as runner’s knee (also called patellofemoral syndrome), where the kneecap is pushed out of place due to weak or tight muscles, causing pain, swelling, and sometimes even a clicking noise in the knee.
3. Repeated use of motions over time, often caused by jobs that involve heavy lifting, bending, repetitive motion, or any activity that puts prolonged strain on muscles and joints regularly.
4. Degenerative conditions, such as arthritis, which can affect any joint and is caused by the thinning of cartilage around the bones, allowing bones in the joint to rub together,  and resulting in pain and lack of mobility.

Signs Your Pain May Become a Problem

1. Your pain interferes with performing everyday activities: Due to aging, occasional joint pain is normal, however, when the pain or symptoms begins to restrict you from performing your everyday activities, such as climbing stairs or walking, it is best to seek an orthopedic specialist.
2. Pain becomes chronic: Often, pain from acute orthopedic injuries resolve within a few days through the use of the PRICE method. However, if pain and symptoms persist for more than 12 weeks, this becomes a chronic condition. Not seeking medical advice from an orthopedic specialist at this stage could further result in injury.
3. Range of motion becomes restricted: Limited range of motion and feelings of tightening joints may be signs of arthritis. To prevent further worsening, it is crucial to seek treatment as early as possible.
4. Lack of stability when performing everyday activities: If you feel unstable when performing mundane activities, such as standing, sitting down, or walking, this may signify a joint issue and should be addressed by an orthopedic specialist.
5. A soft tissue injury has not improved after 48 hours: If you’ve sustained a soft tissue injury, such as a twisted ankle or sprained wrist, and the pain and swelling does not subside after 48 hours, it may be a sign of something more serious and requires medical attention.

What to Expect when Visiting an Orthopedic Surgeon

Meeting with an orthopedic surgeon, such as Dr. William L. King, doesn’t necessarily mean that you will require surgery. The overall goal is to treat an injury by curing it or reducing the pain enough for you to be able to maintain a pain-free and active lifestyle. Whenever possible, an orthopedic surgeon will first try non-surgical methods for treatment at first, such as physical therapy, cortisone injections, or pain/anti-inflammatory medications. However, if the pain and swelling continue to persist without any signs of recovery, then your orthopedic surgeon may recommend surgery as the only viable option to treat your injury. Indications that surgery may be the right option for you are persistent joint pain and swelling, restricted range of motion that does not improve through physical therapy and training, joint instability, and broken bones.

It is crucial to meet with an orthopedic surgeon to discuss expectations before and after surgery, in order to provide you with a realistic timeline depending on your condition.

What to Expect Before and After Surgery

Orthopedic surgeons target their practice towards the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons, and are able to help correct a wide range of injuries such as elbow, wrist, hand, leg, knee, foot, and ankle injuries, joint damage, trauma, and more. Whenever possible, a minimally invasive surgery will be performed in order to reduce blood loss, minimize scarring, and provide a shorter recovery time.

If you maintain an active lifestyle, it is best to visit a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon, as they target their treatment towards injuries related to sports and fitness, and work to create tailored programs for each patient, targeting their specific needs and covering a wide range of concerts in order to help patients recover and train properly.

An experienced orthopedic surgeon is vital when undergoing invasive surgery. Your surgeon will provide you with expectations for before and after the surgery. Failure to follow your surgeon’s advice may prolong recovery, cause infection, and possibly even result in reinjury, thus it is crucial to recover as instructed.

Visit NYC Orthopedic Group

At NYC Orthopedic Group office of Dr. William L. King provides personalized and expert care in treating injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system.

In the era of orthopedic and arthroscopic surgery, also known simply as arthroscopy, is a minimally invasive orthopedic procedure used to diagnose and treat joint problems. Orthopedic procedure has become one of the most popular procedures, It involves the use of a narrow scope, called an arthroscope, and specialized surgical tools to access a joint through tiny “keyhole” incisions. In this article, Dr. William L. King, a successful Orthopedic and Clinical Instructor of Orthopedic Surgery Hospital for Joint Diseases of New York also known as NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, explores how using Arthroscopic Surgery can be a right option.

It is crucial to seek proper medical attention timely, before injury worsens. The staff at NYC Orthopedic Group will work to help you get back to a pain-free lifestyle as soon as possible after sustaining an injury. Dr. William L. King is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine, arthroscopy, hand reconstruction and treatment of injuries towards the leg, knee, ankle, shoulder, arm, hand, and wrist as well as lack of joint mobility due to degenerative diseases.

Reach out to NYC Orthopedic Group offices of Dr. William L. King today to discuss arthroscopic diagnosis and treatment options.

Manhattan – Bronx – Queens – Brooklyn – Nassau

Phone: (929) 999-1071

Email: King@NYCOrthopedicGroup.com