Is It Time for Orthopedics To Be Considered a Primary Care Specialty?

As published on South Florida Hospital News: “Tips for Seniors to Minimize Effects of Age on Bones and Joints”

August 4, 2021

As shared by Dr. Badia on SouthFloridaHospitalNews.com, the population in this country is rapidly getting older, and their orthopedic issues are unique, requiring the care of physicians trained in musculoskeletal disorders.

Some takeaways from the article:

• It is paramount seniors contact an orthopedic specialist for early treatment of those aches and pains that interfere with quality of life.
• Don’t depend on your family doctors about orthopedic issues, but rather seek their referral to an orthopedic subspecialist that would be appropriate to consult.
• The population in this country is rapidly getting older, and their orthopedic issues are unique, requiring the care of physicians trained in musculoskeletal disorders.
• Elderly with arthritic joint pain and other musculoskeletal conditions are not getting their problems resolved by their primary or general urgent care doctors.
• Many people presume that the inflammation, swelling and stiffness of arthritis in the joints, including those of the fingers, and increased thinning of bones are the primary threats posed by aging to the upper limbs, “but orthopedic experts know better.
• Distal radius fractures are particularly challenging to manage, which is why seniors especially should seek care from an orthopedic specialist who has the proper background to treat such fractures.

And don’t ignore those chronic aches and pains. Like unrepaired, leaking faucets, they likely will become only worse with age. Avoid the hospital emergency room unless you suspect a hip fracture or have an open wound, or family practice doctor’s office and, instead, seek out an orthopedic specialist for examination. Early treatment by the proper orthopedic physician can go a long way in preventing age-related musculoskeletal disorders from getting out of control and damaging quality of life in your senior years,” Dr. Badia says.

Dr. Badia is known for leveraging on the most advanced orthopedic technology.

To read the full article by Alejandro Badia, M.D., please click here.

Please call (305)227-4263 to request an appointment with Dr. Alejandro Badia.

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Alejandro Badia, MD, FACS, FRCSI is a hand and upper extremity surgeon at Badia Hand to Shoulder Center in Doral, Florida. He is past president of the International Society for Sport Traumatology of the Hand (ISSPORTH) and is a member of several orthopedic societies (AAOS, ASSH, AAHS, EWAS). He is currently focused on improving healthcare delivery in the orthopedics and sports medicine realm, including providing safe access to orthopedic care via their specialized telemedicine program at www.orthonowlive.com.