Adult Orthopedics, Pediatric Adolescent and Pediatric Orthopedics Houston, TX
Orthopaedics, the treatment of bone and joint health, applies to people of all ages. Children, teens, and adults can all sustain injuries or develop diseases that require specialized treatment. However, each age group requires a particular approach, as well as an understanding of how they differ from other groups of patients.
Are you suffering from the repercussions of a bone fracture, back injury, shoulder or elbow injury, or other bone/joint health problem? Contact us here at Orthopaedic Associates to schedule a consult at one of our 5 areas in Houston Orthopaedic Surgery Offices to discuss your symptoms and learn more about treatment options.
Pediatric Orthopedics Houston, TX
There’s a myth that children are just smaller adults, particularly when it comes to musculoskeletal injuries and diseases. The problem is that children are very different from teens and even more so from adults in key ways:
- Their bones are still young and flexible
- Their bones are still growing rapidly
- They are often unable to articulate exactly what they’re feeling or experiencing
- Injuries to bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons present differently in children
What Can Pediatric Orthopedists Treat?
Pediatric orthopedists specialize in treating children and can help in many ways, including:
- Treating fractures and broken bones
- Treating bone/joint infections
- Treating mobility abnormalities
- Treating limb and spine deformities
Adolescent Orthopedics
While many orthopedic offices specialize in pediatric or adult treatments, adolescents may be considered a distinct group on their own. Teens straddle a middle ground between children and adults, sharing characteristics of both groups. While they are better able to articulate pain and symptoms, their bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons are often still growing and forming, meaning that injuries and diseases may present differently than in adults or even in children.
A pediatric adolescent orthopedist can treat:
- Broken bones and fractures (the most common adolescent injuries)
- Limb and spine injuries
- Joint injuries and diseases
- Bone and joint infections
Adult Orthopedics
Adults are the most injury-prone of the three groups, largely due to the potential for injury at the workplace. Orthopedic specialists can provide both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for adults suffering from injuries and diseases affecting bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments. A fraction of the conditions that orthopedists can treat with adults include:
- Degenerative neck and spine diseases
- Cerebral palsy
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Spine disorders
- Scoliosis
- Musculoskeletal trauma
- Joint degeneration/disease
- Tendonitis treatment
- Bursitis treatment
- Fracture care
- Hip, shoulder, ankle, and hand joint replacement (partial or total)
Contact pediatric orthopedic specialist in Houston to learn more about pediatric adolescent, and adult orthopaedic treatments.
Are All Orthopedic Treatments Surgical in Nature?
While surgery is sometimes required to treat serious illnesses, diseases, and injuries, many patients can see benefits through nonsurgical treatments. Examples of these include using braces to treat carpal tunnel syndrome, the use of orthotics in shoes, using compression sleeves, and much more.
When Is Surgery Necessary for Children, Teens, and Adults?
Each situation is unique, and the decision to pursue surgery is one that should be made with the help of an orthopedic specialist. However, surgery is usually not recommended until non-invasive treatments have been tried (with limited or no results) or when the situation is serious and requires immediate action (dealing with a compound fracture, for instance).
Potential Complications of Orthopedic Surgery
Some of the more common potential complications that may arise with various types of orthopaedic surgery include the following:
- Infection of the incision
- Infection of the bone/joint/tendon
- Failure of hardware
- Nerve damage
- Failure to improve
Is Orthopedic Care Right for You?
Orthopaedic specialists can provide compassionate, accurate care for a wide range of conditions, diseases, and injuries. Encourage orthopedic doctors for teenagers, children & adults to ask for help when it’s needed. Contact Orthopaedic Associates in Houston today to schedule a consultation to discuss symptoms and begin to find relief.