Orthopedics

Orthopedics focuses on conditions and injuries that affect your bones, joints, muscles and tendons. These parts of your body work together to help you move and carry out everyday activities. 

Orthopedic care is available for children and adults. Orthopedic teams work with people of all ages to treat injuries, reduce pain, help people move better and improve daily life. Depending on your needs, your care may include assessment, treatment, surgery, rehabilitation and follow-up care. 

Orthopedic care can help with: 

• bone, joint, muscle or tendon injuries
• ongoing joint pain 
• difficulty moving or doing everyday activities 
• conditions that may require surgery 
• recovery after an injury or surgery 

Your treatment will depend on your condition and individual needs. Surgery is not always needed.

Your care may include: 

• assessment and diagnosis 
• a treatment plan based on your needs 
• medication or other treatments to manage pain 
• surgery, when needed 
• physiotherapy or other rehabilitation 
• follow-up care 

Different health-care professionals may be involved at different stages of your care. 

If you have a serious injury or another medical emergency, go to the nearest emergency department or call 911.

You usually need a referral from a health-care provider to access orthopedic services. 

Some orthopedic services use a central intake system. This means referrals are sent to one place, where they are reviewed and directed to the appropriate orthopedic service or provider. 

How referrals are managed varies by service and location. 

Select an orthopedic service to learn more about referrals, appointments and locations. 

You may also be interested in: 

• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy 
• Rehabilitation 
• Pain management