Orthopaedists are doctors who specialize in the treatment of injuries, conditions, or diseases affecting the skeletal structure of humans and systems supporting it like ligaments, tendons, and muscles. They treat conditions ranging from sprains and strains to joint replacement + to arthritis.

Orthopaedists can be broadly divided into non-surgical and surgical orthopaedists. There are many sub-specialties of orthopaedic surgery. One can do online research to find best orthopaedic doctor in India, as ranked by websites like that of the newspaper group, the Times of India.

MEDICAL ORTHOPAEDISTS:

Orthopaedic doctors or medical orthopaedists use several non surgical methods to treat orthopaedic problems. For instance there are many injuries related to sports like fractures, strains, and sprains. All these fall under the specialty of orthopaedists. So also are tendinitis and bursitis which are repetitive stress injuries related to joints? Orthopaedic doctors also do diagnosis and treatment of age-determined conditions like osteoporosis and arthritis which involve substantial loss of bone density such that bones become fracture prone and brittle. The therapies used will differs as per condition or injury but mostly include medication, physical therapy and change in lifestyle and diet.

ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS:

Orthopaedic surgeons use different types of surgical procedure from modern arthroscopic minimally invasive procedures to traditional open surgeries. Using these, they correct conditions of connective tissues, joints, and bones. They range from standard re-assembly of broken bones of inactive senior citizens to high profile repairs of legs or shoulders of professional athletes.

SUB SPECIALTIES:

Orthopaedics is a wide field and has a number of sub-specialties. Orthopaedic surgeons and doctors can specialize in any one. They are as follows:

• Hand and Arms: This is a well known specialty, thanks to the delicate and complex structure of the hand. Doctors typically concentrate on wrists and hands as well as elbows and shoulders.
• Legs: This is divided into Hips and Knees and Feet and Ankles.
• Joint replacement: An orthopaedist who specializes in hips and knees will replace such joints but will not treat patients who have torn muscles around the knee or hip.
• Sports medicine: Some doctors will treat conditions of the entire muscular-skeletal system but will only treat athletes. This field is referred to as sports medicine. Such doctors treat conditions like sprains, strains, broken bones, and muscle diseases of professional athletes. Doctors focus not only on limiting the damage but also minimize the downtime of athletes. Doctors of sports medicine care not only for college and high school athletes but also professional sportspersons.
• Spinal surgery:

Spinal surgeons treat any disease located in the spine from pressure on the spinal cord to disc problems. Surgeries performed to treat such conditions include Spinal Fusion, Fracture repair and Disc replacement.

• Paediatric orthopaedist: Treat spinal problems and knee injuries of only children.
• Trauma specialists: Treat patients with life threatening multiple injuries.

These are some of the types of orthopaedic doctors and surgeons. In India, there are a number of super-specialty hospitals like Apollo hospitals which have the best orthopaedic doctors. For identifying best orthopaedic doctor in Apollo hospital Delhi, one must do some research like online rankings as well as testimonials and reviews by former patients.