Orthopedic Appliances And Their Interesting History

By Chelsea Evans


Orthopedics is a term that refers to the surgical specialty involving the treatment of various bone conditions and diseases. Although doctors have attempted to treat deformed or broken bones and associated diseases for several centuries, orthopedics as a modern specialty has primarily evolved throughout the 20th century. Orthopedic appliances are devices that are used to assist individuals with the aforementioned disorders to have a better quality of life.

The term orthopedics is a combination of two Greek words: orthos and paideia. The latter refers to children and the former means to straighten. It is believed that this may be evidence that the first orthopedic doctors primarily practiced on children, possibly because of the tendency of children to experience injuries such as broken bones.

Doctor Jean-Andre Venel established the first orthopedic institute in seventeen eighty. The establishment primarily dealt with abnormalities of the skeletal system in children. He is regarded by certain individuals as the first surgeon in the orthopedic field.

In 1803, orthopedics was first introduced as a specialty by a French doctor named Nicholas Andry. This doctor primarily treated children's bone abnormalities, but also dedicated research to restoring individuals with injured or broken bones to their previous state. Additionally, Andry devoted a considerable amount of time to researching ways to prevent bone deformities in youngsters. His studies are commonly believed to have initiated what is now referred to as orthopedics.

In the mid-eighteen hundreds in France, the first plaster of Paris splint was put into use. It was created by a Dutch military surgeon named Antonius Mathysen. However, the use of intramedullary rods to set fractures of the tibia and femur were pioneered by a German doctor named Gerhard Kuntscher. The utilization of such procedures made a considerable difference in the length of time it took injured soldiers to recover during World War Two. The first joint replacement was introduced in nineteen sixty by Sir John Charnley, a scientist from England. By the mid-80s, procedures of this type were the most frequently performed bone surgeries.

Today's contemporary orthopedists focus on treating bone fractures and bone related disorders. Orthopedists also help patients who are suffering from sports injuries or arthritis. Although licensed and trained as surgeons, such individuals use both nonsurgical and surgical techniques, as well as teach preventative measures to their patients.

The casework of all bone surgeons is reviewed by the American Board of Orthopedics for the purpose of gathering statistical facts. As of 2008, knee replacement surgery was the most frequently performed orthopedic procedure, followed by cartilage surgery, otherwise known as knee and shoulder arthroscopy, carpal tunnel procedures, and corrective surgery focused on the repair of hip or thigh bone fractures. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2011 bone surgery took the lead in front of all other surgical specialties. This may indicate that the presence of joint diseases and disorders is on the rise.

Those who require orthopedic appliances should talk to a licensed specialist. Even though a prescription is not always necessary to purchase devices of this kind, it is in one's best interest to discuss such matters with a doctor prior to making such an investment. Anyone suffering from bone deformities or joint problems should seek the advice of a bone specialist immediately.




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