Imagine life without pain.

Are pain and chronic stiffness from arthritis or an injury keeping you from living life to its fullest? Our orthopedic surgeons across Lakewood, CA are specially trained to evaluate and treat musculoskeletal problems and focus on providing options to get you back on your feet. Their goal is to help relieve your pain and restore your mobility and freedom of movement.

What Is Orthopedics?

Orthopedics is a branch of medicine that deals with the musculoskeletal system, which consists of the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves. The musculoskeletal system allows us to move, work and be active.

What Does an Orthopedic Doctor Do?

Orthopedic doctors, also called orthopedic surgeons, specializes in:

• Diagnosis of injury or condition
• Treatment of condition with medications, injections, casting, bracing or surgery
• Rehabilitation through exercise or physical therapy to help patients restore movement, strength or function
• Prevention through treatment plans and in-depth information about an individual’s conditions to prevent injury in the future or slow disease progression

All orthopedic doctors are familiar with all aspects of the musculoskeletal system, but there are further orthopedic medicine specializations such as:

• Foot and ankle
• Hand and wrist
• Hip replacement and reconstruction
• Knee replacement and reconstruction
• Orthopedic oncology
• Orthopedic trauma
• Pediatric orthopedic surgery
• Shoulder and elbow
• Spine
• Sports Medicine

Orthopedic surgeons don’t work alone; they usually work with a team of specialists, such as:

• Neurologists
• Pain specialists
• Primary care doctors
• Psychiatrists
• Sports medicine specialists

Other health professionals aside from the ones mentioned above may also be part of the orthopedic team:

• Athletic trainers
• Counselors
• Nurse practitioners
• Physical therapists
• Physician assistants
• Psychologists
• Social workers
• Vocational workers

Common Orthopedic Conditions

We recommend seeing one of our orthopedic doctors across Lakewood, CA at the first sign of bone problems. Though most cases are usually not serious and just due to overuse or strain, it’s better to rule out a more serious injury or condition. Please consult your doctor, especially when you experience the following symptoms:

• Unusual appearance or deformity of the bone
• Fatigue accompanied by joint pain or swelling
• Stiff joints
• Limited range of motion
• Muscle spasms
• Numbness, tingling or weakness
• Sharp, dull, achy, crampy, stabling or burning pain that is mild, moderate or severe
• Inflammation of the injured area

Orthopedic conditions are injuries and diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system. All our orthopedic specialists at Lakewood Regional Medical Center are experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of different orthopedic conditions, such as:

• Acute injuries – such as traumatic bone fractures and dislocated joints
• Arthritis – joint inflammation that causes pain, joint damage and loss of joint function
• Bursitis – inflammation and irritation of a bursa
• Muscle atrophy – loss of muscle tissue causing weakness and difficulty moving
• Musculoskeletal cancer – malignant structure and tissue in the musculoskeletal system (e.g., bone cancer and cartilage cancer)
• Orthopedic autoimmune disease – when the body’s immune system attacks its healthy cells and tissues (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus and scleroderma)
• Osteomalacia – causes adult bones to soften, which causes muscle weakness, bowed legs, bone pain and fractures
• Osteomyelitis – bone infection
• Osteoporosis – loss of bone density that causes the bone to weaken and be brittle
• Pinched nerve – when there is compression and irritation in the spinal nerve
• Tendinitis – inflammation and irritation of a tendon
• Tenosynovitis – when there is an inflammation in a tendon sheath

Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic surgery deals with acute injuries, congenital and acquired disorders, chronic arthritis or overuse conditions of the bones, joints and tissues, including ligaments, nerves and muscles. At Lakewood Regional Medical Center, we provide various treatment options for everyone, including but not limited to:

• Total joint replacement – one of the most common elective surgeries in the United States. This procedure involves removing worn out, damaged and diseased joint surfaces and replacing them with a prosthesis.
• Arthroscopic surgery – a minimally invasive procedure using an arthroscope, a long, thin camera connected to a video monitor that allows orthopedic surgeons to see the inside of a joint.
• Fracture repair – used to restore the normal anatomy of a severely broken bone using implants (rods, plates, screws and wires)
• Bone grafting – orthopedic doctors may perform bone grafting when the body cannot produce enough new bone. This procedure involves using bones from a person’s body or a donor’s to repair and strengthen diseased and damaged bones.
• Spinal fusion – involves fusing two or more vertebrae to correct spine problems, allowing the vertebrae to heal into a single, solid mass of bone.

Orthopedic Emergency Care at Lakewood, CA

Some cases of musculoskeletal injuries are considered emergencies and require immediate attention. Seek immediate orthopedic care if you experience the following symptoms:

• Bone deformity
• Difficulty moving a joint
• Heard a snapping, grinding or popping sound during the injury
• Open wound or bone sticking out of the skin
• Severe pain or swelling

Call 911 if you have severe injuries:

• Displaced long bone fractures
• Multiple hand and foot fractures
• Open long bone fractures
• Displaced pelvic fractures
• Dislocations of major joint
• Multiple digit amputations
• Laceration of major nerves or blood vessels

Why Choose Lakewood Medical Center

When you choose Lakewood Regional Medical Center, you benefit from:

• Advanced, comprehensive orthopedic care – from diagnosis to outcome
• Immediate orthopedic care across Lakewood, CA
• Nonsurgical and minimally invasive surgical treatment options
• Comprehensive, customized medical treatment plans for all kinds of sports-related injuries
• An orthopedic rehabilitation program that helps you rapidly rebuild and recover

The Center for Joint Replacement at Lakewood Regional Medical Center has an orthopedic team that can provide you with the highest level of surgical, post-op and rehabilitative care—all in a warm and caring setting to help speed your recovery. Join our orthopedic surgeons across Lakewood, CA at one of our monthly lectures to learn more about options for combatting pain.