Information About Orthopedic

Information About Orthopedic

Servicing NJ

Orthopedics is a branch of medicine that focuses on the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system involves the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Orthopedics takes both a nonsurgical and surgical approach to treating musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. A sub-specialty of orthopedics that focuses on the musculoskeletal system involving the foot and ankle is podiatry.

Orthopedic Conditions of the Foot and Ankle

There are a variety of conditions that involve the foot and ankle that require an orthopedic approach. These include:

  • Fractures and other trauma of the ankle, foot, and toes
  • Arthritis including degenerative and rheumatoid
  • Congenital deformities such as club feet and flat feet
  • Acquired deformities such as adult acquired flat feet, hallux valgus, and diabetic foot disorders
  • Other conditions such as heel pain, plantar fasciitis, bunions, nail problems, tendinitis, morton's neuroma, and tumors

Non-Surgical Treatments

Injections of steroids or Synvisc, Supartz into painful joints quite effective for chronic knee pain as well as as well as all the joints. Injections could be given using ultrasound guidance and C-arm x-ray guidance for better placement of the medicine into the joint

With proper treatment, many times an ankle and foot condition does not require surgery. Some non-surgical treatments include:

  • Orthothotics - a device that can be placed inside the shoe to help balance the foot
  • Physical Therapy - may be recommended to help strengthen muscles and relieve pain
  • NSAID's - may be prescribed to reduce inflammation and pain
  • Shoes - simply changing to a different type of shoe may be enough to alleviate symptoms

Surgical Treatments

When a non-surgical approach fails to treat the problem, then surgery may be necessary. Some surgeries that can be performed are:

  • Bunion repair
  • Hammer toe repair
  • Metatarsal surgery
  • Ankle fusion for arthritis
  • Ankle replacement
  • Achilles tendon repair
  • Morton's neuroma excision
  • Plantar fasciitis release
  • Fracture repair
  • Tendon surgeries
  • Tibialis posterior reconstruction
  • Congenital repairs

These are just some of the surgeries that can be used to correct disorders of the feet and ankle. Following surgery, physical therapy or orthotics may be required for complete recovery.

Orthopedics strives to restore patients to full-functioning utilizing a variety of approaches to achieve this goal. Dr. Kachmar is board certified in foot and ankle surgery and is recognized as a fellow or diplomat by several organizations.

For more information on Orthopedics, Servicing NJ call Jersey Shore Foot & Leg Center at (732) 269-1133 today!