7 Signs You Might Need to See an Orthopedic Surgeon


orthopedic surgery
Female Physiotherapist working examining treating injured leg of patient, Doing exercises the Rehabilitation therapy pain his in clinic.
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If your job entails heavy lifting, twisting, carrying out repetitive motions, constant movement, or long periods of limited movement, your body is prone to take a beating; hence you may require orthopedic surgery at a point in your life. Orthopedic surgeons specialize in the musculoskeletal system, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Our doctors at Sforzo|Dillingham|Stewart Orthopedics + Sports Medicine advise you to see an orthopedic surgeon if you experience the following signs:

7 Signs It’s Time To See a Doctor for Orthopedic Surgeries

There are instances when you get injured or develop pain and brush it off, or you treat it with over-the-counter medicines, rest, and an ice pack. However, when the pain is persistent and starts affecting your daily activities, it is not safe to wait it out but instead you should visit an orthopedic. The following are seven signs that you need to make an appointment with our orthopedic surgeon.

  1. Shoulder Pains

Experiencing severe shoulder pains, especially at night, and tenderness around the joints are the two main signs of tendonitis. Tendonitis limits your movements and affects your posture. This condition is prevalent in patients who have had prior injuries or those who lift heavy weights on a regular basis. Tendonitis symptoms can reflect on your heel, wrist, and elbows.

Image source:https://pixabay.com/photos/search/painful%20joints/?manual_search=1

  1. Trouble Climbing Stairs

As you age, the joints in your knees may begin to deteriorate. However, when they become too painful and you experience pains for more than six months, that is a sign that you need to see an orthopedic surgeon. Chronic joint pain can also be due to the constant use or previous injuries. 

  1. Tingling or Numb Hands

If you get tingling sensations in your hands, middle, and index fingers or drop things often, you might have what our doctors refer to as carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the nerve from your forearm up to the wrist goes through a tunnel in your wrists and produces decreased sensation to all your fingers except the small finger. The tingling can be due to a prior fracture in your wrists, repetitive flexing motions of your wrist, or working with vibrating equipment. 

  1. Pain from Repetitive Motions

Work that requires repetitive motions causes stress injuries in your nerves, muscles, and tendons. Working with vibrating machines or equipment that exerts force can also lead to stress injuries. Stress injuries make your upper body uncomfortable and cause pain that limits your movements and daily activities.

  1. Painful Joints

Our doctors usually associate chronic joint pains with joint inflammation a sign that joint bones are rubbing together and causing friction. These are  two signs are symptoms of arthritis. Arthritis affects both men and women, and the risks of the disease go up as you age. However, patients as young as 20 years can also have arthritis. Factors such as obesity, prior joint injuries, and repetitive bending motions contribute to the risk of painful joints.  

Image source: https://powerhealthchinook.ca/exploring-causes-treatments-chronic-joint-pain/

  1. Twisted Ankles 

Walking on uneven areas or stepping on an unexpected object can cause you to twist your ankle. A twisted ankle is often accompanied by pain in the ankle, bruising, and swelling. Although you can sprain your ankle when you are on the move, some patients have a predisposition to twisting their ankles due to the posture of their feet. Once you twist your ankle, the chances of spraining your ankle again go up.

  1. Swollen Wrists

Landing or falling on your hand exerts pressure on your wrist and can often lead to a swollen wrist. Since a sprain stretches the ligaments that connect your bones, tearing of these ligaments can lead to severe pain, bruising, and loss of mobility in the affected area. 

Types of Orthopedic Surgeries

There are several types of orthopedic surgeries to treat musculoskeletal problems caused by congenital disabilities, injuries, or arthritis. The surgeries range from minor and less invasive to major surgeries. 

Due to joint replacement risks, doctors lean more toward less invasive methods such as arthroscopy. In this procedure, our doctors make a small incision on the affected area and insert a thin instrument that contains a lens and lighting system to illuminate the structures in your joint. The most common types of joint replacement surgery are:

  1. Hip Replacement Surgery

As you work and age, the ball and socket on your hip face a lot of wear and tear. When the cartilage in your hip breaks, either due to age or falling, you undergo treatment such as hip replacement surgery. During the surgery, our doctors will replace the natural ball and socket with plastic or metal implants.

Image source: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/total-hip-replacement/

  1. Knee Replacement Surgery

There is total knee replacement and partial knee replacement surgery. Total knee replacement surgery entails replacing the entire knee with metal parts. However, with partial replacement, the surgeon will only replace the affected parts. 

  1. Hand and Wrist Surgeries

Your hands and wrist are some of the most used body parts in your everyday practices. This constant use makes them vulnerable and prone to wear and tear effects, injuries, and arthritis. Orthopedic surgery offers the best treatment for repairing dislocations and fractures affecting the hands, wrists, tendons, fingers, and carpal tunnel. 

  1. Shoulder and Rotator Cuff Surgery

Shoulder and rotator cuff surgery is similar to hip replacement surgery. Dr. Sforzo and Dr. Dillingham use metal parts to replace either damaged parts of the shoulder or the entire ball and socket to relieve pain and restore your shoulders’ mobility. 

  1. ACL Surgery

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is one of the most common knee ligaments damaged when playing sports. When playing, you exert a lot of pressure on your knees by pivoting and planting your feet, making sudden stops, making wrong landings, and making sudden turns. In ACL surgery, the surgeon takes a tendon from a different body part and builds a new ACL for your knee. 

Image source: https://www.templehealth.org/services/treatments/acl-reconstruction-surgery
Once you start experiencing persistent pain in your muscles, bones, and joints, have tingling sensations in your hands, numbness in your arms and legs, and have difficulties carrying out simple tasks, you need to see an orthopedic surgeon. Do not wait for your symptoms to get severe since you can easily avoid a full replacement surgery for an area that requires minor surgery. Contact us at Sforzo|Dillingham|Stewart Orthopedics + Sports Medicine at (941)378-5100 to set an appointment with one of our various surgeons.