Medical specialists related to Orthopaedic, Arthritis and Sports Injuries

Orthopaedic, Arthritis & Sports Injuries

Medical specialists across a number of disciplines can assist with injury, disease and disorders relating to limbs and spine. Surgical and non-surgical treatments are available. Includes arthroscopic surgery, hip surgery, knee surgery, hand & wrist surgery, shoulder surgery, elbow surgery, joint replacement surgery, spinal surgery, degenerative disc disease, foot & ankle surgery, ACL reconstruction, orthopaedic surgery, paediatric orthopaedic surgery and trauma surgery.

 

Also includes musculoskeletal medicine, rheumatology, sports medicine, sports injury, connective tissue disorders, radiology – diagnostic, PRP injections, osteoporosis, pain management and arthritis support.

Arthritis Support

arthritis_logo_top_webArthritis NZ is a good place to start for any general questions or support regarding arthritis. There are also other support services available such as physio.

Arthroscopic Surgery

Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope. It reduces recovery time and may increase the rate of success due to less trauma to the connective tissue. It can be used for knee, hip, shoulder, wrist, and spine surgery.

Hip Surgery

Hip surgery includes hip resurfacing, and total hip replacement. Hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Hip joint replacement is generally conducted to relieve arthritis pain or in some, hip fractures. The aims of the procedure are pain relief and improvement in hip function. Hip replacement is usually considered only after other therapies, such as physical therapy and pain medications, have failed.

Knee Surgery

Knee surgery includes knee replacement surgery or arthroplasty, to remove part or all of a damaged or diseased knee joint. In general, the surgery consists of replacing the joint surfaces with artificial components. Knee replacement is most commonly performed for osteoarthritis, and also for other knee diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Other major causes of debilitating pain include meniscus tears, cartilage defects, and ligament tears. Debilitating pain from osteoarthritis is much more common in the elderly.

Hand & Wrist Surgery

Hand surgery deals with problems affecting the hand and also involving the area from the tip of the hand to the shoulder. Hand surgeons perform a wide variety of operations such as repairs of bone fractures, releases, transfer and repairs of tendons; and reconstruction after injuries, rheumatoid deformities and congenital defects (those present at birth). They also carry out reattachment of amputated digits, reconstruction of soft tissues and bone, nerve reconstruction, and surgery to improve function in paralysed upper limbs.

Shoulder Surgery

Surgery may be required to treat various shoulder problems, including: a torn or damaged labrum (cartilage ring) or ligaments; shoulder instability, where the shoulder joint is loose and slides around too much or becomes dislocated; a torn or damaged biceps tendon; a torn rotator cuff (the group of muscles and tendons that cover the shoulder joint, assisting its movement); a bone spur or inflammation around the rotator cuff; inflammation or damaged lining of the joint; arthritis of the end of the clavicle (collarbone); loose tissue that needs to be removed; and shoulder impingement syndrome, to make more room for the shoulder to move around.

Spinal Surgery

Spinal Surgery can be undertaken for a variety of reasons, some common conditions that can be treated with Spinal Surgery include back pain (lumbar Pain), neck pain (cervical pain), sciatica, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, tumours, infections, spine fractures and degenerative disc disease.

Foot & Ankle Surgery

Surgery is often carried out with minimally invasive methods such as arthroscopy, in which a small flexible tube (arthroscope) is inserted through a small incision. The arthroscope allows the required site, often a joint, to be viewed on a display monitor, so the surgeon can inspect, diagnose and repair tissues. Other common procedures treat ankle arthritis, bunions (hard, painful bumps on the big toe joint), and nerves in the feet.

Orthopaedic Surgery

Orthopaedic surgeons treat a wide range of problems, including trauma (injury), sports injuries, degenerative diseases (e.g. arthritis), infections, tumours and congenital disorders (those present at birth).

Musculoskeletal Medicine

Musculoskeletal medicine concerns the diagnosis and treatment of dysfunction, diseases and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Musculoskeletal disorders are very common, and people usually suffer pain and disability as a result of injury or dysfunction affecting the spine, pelvic or shoulder girdle, or to the upper and lower limbs. These may have occurred as a result of injury or of a gradual onset condition, such as osteoarthritis. There is a wide variety of treatments, including medication, pain management, exercise and rehabilitation programmes, education and support.

Rheumatology

Rheumatologists treat arthritis, autoimmune diseases, pain disorders affecting joints, and osteoporosis. There are more than 200 types of these diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, back pain, osteoporosis, and tendinitis.

Sports Medicine

Sports medicine is concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of injuries and illnesses related to sports, exercise, recreational activities, and also those suffered by people in the performing arts such as musicians and dancers. It is involved with sports and overtraining injuries (e.g. repetitive strain injuries, knee injuries), sports nutrition, airways and breathing difficulties in sports (e.g. asthma), and exercise and rehabilitation programmes.

Sports Injury

Procedures by experienced medical specialists to assist with sports injuries. Can include arthroscopic reconstruction, nerve injury, sports reconstructive surgery.