Orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons are doctors – MDs or DOs who have completed four years of medical school, five to six years of surgical residency and an additional year of fellowship training in foot and ankle care. By comparison, a podiatrist (or DPM) is required to complete four years of podiatry school, followed by two years of residency training.

As a result of this rigorous training, orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons are not only well qualified to care for both common and complex foot and ankle issues, but possess extensive knowledge of the entire human body and its relationship to lower extremity issues. While pain may present in your foot, it’s not uncommon for the root cause of this pain to originate in your hips or back.  A comprehensive understanding of the body’s entire musculoskeletal system allows an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon to take the context of your entire health into account when diagnosing and treating problems.

Click here for a complete list of Orthopedic ONE fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons.

Consider seeing an orthopedic specialist when pain persists, limits your movement or interferes with daily activities. A specialist can identify the cause and discuss surgical and nonsurgical treatment options. Traumatic bone or joint injuries caused by an accident or fall may require immediate orthopedic trauma and fracture care.

An orthopedic surgeon treats conditions affecting the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons and can perform surgery when necessary. Sports medicine focuses on preventing and rehabilitating activity-related injuries.

Orthopedic ONE’s sports medicine program includes primary care sports medicine physicians, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons, athletic trainers and physical therapists. The right provider depends on the condition and whether surgical expertise may be needed.

Pain while using stairs may need an individual evaluation because several knee conditions can cause similar symptoms. Orthopedic ONE’s knee specialists diagnose and treat conditions associated with overuse, patellofemoral pain syndrome, patellar tendinitis, muscle strains, ligament sprains, arthritis and cartilage injuries.

Not every meniscus tear automatically requires surgery. Orthopedic ONE offers both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for meniscus tears. A knee specialist can evaluate the location and nature of the injury and recommend an appropriate treatment plan. Learn more about the conditions treated by Orthopedic ONE’s knee specialists.

Lingering shoulder pain or pain that keeps you awake at night may be a sign of a rotator cuff tear, particularly in adults over 40. Tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis and shoulder impingement can also cause pain, so an orthopedic shoulder specialist should determine the underlying cause.

Nonsurgical treatment options may include personalized exercise, weight management, physical therapy, activity modification, corticosteroid injections and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Depending on the extent of joint damage, other options may include biologic therapies, cartilage restoration, osteotomy, partial knee replacement or total knee replacement. Orthopedic ONE’s joint preservation specialists work to preserve the natural joint and delay replacement whenever appropriate.

Hip replacement may be considered when advanced arthritis or significant joint deterioration causes ongoing pain and reduced function. Younger or active patients with early-stage arthritis, labral tears or structural hip conditions may be candidates for treatments designed to preserve the natural joint.

An orthopedic hip specialist can assess the condition and determine whether joint preservation or hip replacement should be considered.