An orthopedic surgeon is a physician who specializes in the musculoskeletal system and provides medical and surgical care for injuries and diseases of the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons and nerves.
A referral from a physician is required in order to see an orthopedic surgeon. Many conditions fall within the scope of the orthopedic surgeon, including:
In order to be well prepared to meet with the orthopedist, we strongly encourage you to have your medical imaging reports with you at the appointment. During the meeting, the orthopedist will take note of your situation and evaluate your condition. The orthopedic surgeon will then make a diagnosis and recommendations regarding the next step in your care. For example, he may decide to perform further imaging to gain more information about your condition. He may also decide on one of two treatment options: non-surgical treatment (medication, infiltrations, physiotherapy referral, etc.) or surgical intervention. In this second case, the doctor will clearly explain the dangers, risks, difficulties and modalities of the surgical procedure he will perform.
Yes. In most situations, you will need a referral from your doctor to see an orthopedic surgeon. If you do not have a doctor available, it is possible to make an appointment with our sports medicine doctor or physiotherapist to have an initial evaluation of your condition.