Orthopedics (also commonly spelled Orthopaedics). It’s a big word and even bigger medical specialty.

Many people are unsure when or if they need an orthopedic surgeon – and where to find one when they do. Some patients even shy away from orthopedic surgeons, worried that a surgeon might be eager to put them “under the knife.”

But if there’s any medical specialty worth understanding, it’s orthopedics.

Orthopedic surgeons are doctors who specialize in the musculoskeletal system – the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles that are so essential to movement and everyday life.