What does the word 'orthopedics' mean? The Greek word 'ortho' means straight and 'pedics' comes from the Greek 'pais' meaning children.
What started as a specialty to care for children's bone deformities now has a much broader scope of practice.
So what exactly is orthopedics? Orthopedics is the study of the musculoskeletal system, focusing on the injuries and diseases of both the muscular and skeletal groups.
It is a very complex system of bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves.
Over the years, the field has expanded to encompass many subspecialties and the treatment of a wide variety of musculoskeletal disorders in patients of all ages, from newborns to older people.
Orthopedic nursing focuses on the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.
These problems can be acute or chronic in nature.
Examples of acute issues include a fracture from a fall, an arthritic joint needing replacement, or a dislocated joint.
Chronic orthopedic problems include osteoporosis, lupus and scoliosis.
To care for these types of patients, orthopedic nurses possess specialized skills including, but not limited to, neurovascular status monitoring, external fixation care, casting, traction, and range of motion therapy.
Doctors who choose orthopedics can further specialize in fields such as pediatrics, trauma or sports medicine.
They can also further differentiate their practice into areas such as foot, ankle, knee, hip or spinal problems and injuries.
These doctors work with patients and their families to prevent or treat musculoskeletal problems, whether in a clinic or the hospital.
Besides using nurses, many times a physician with enlist the help of physical and occupational therapists to help a patient recover and get back to a normal life.