Orthopedics is a surgical specialty that focuses on the diagnosis and medical and surgical management of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, that is, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons and nerves. We are talking about orthopedic surgery.

Many conditions fall within the field of orthopedic surgery, including:

• the sprains ;
• fractures;
• les luxations ;
• the herniated discs ;
• bone tumors;
• growth abnormalities, such as Scoliosis or kyphosis ;
• or the sequelae of infectious or inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis).

Some people are at greater risk for disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Here are some recognized risk factors:

• age, the occurrence of musculoskeletal diseases increasing with aging;
• gender, as women are more affected by osteoporosis than men3;
• the practice of a high-risk sport (such as board sports);
• physical inactivity ;
• overweight, obesity;
• or genetics.

The role of the orthopedic surgeon is to ensure the functional correction of the musculoskeletal system. For this, it intervenes at different stages:

• the preoperative assessment, in particular in order to predict the extent of the intervention;
• the operation itself (repair of fractures, replacement of painful joints with artificial joints, or correction of a malformation);
• post-operative follow-up.

The surgery, whatever it is, can present risks during the operation (risks of anesthetics, hemorrhages, infections, etc.) and complications afterwards. It is the role of the orthopedic surgeon to clearly explain the dangers, risks, difficulties and modalities of the surgical intervention he will perform.

To become an orthopedist in France

To become an orthopedic surgeon, you must have a Diploma of Complementary Specialized Studies (DESC) in orthopedic surgery and traumatology:

• the student must first follow 6 years of medical study;
• at the end of the 6th year, he enters the internship (which lasts 5 years) and must obtain a diploma of specialized studies (DES) in general surgery;
• and finally, he follows a DESC in orthopedic surgery and traumatology for 3 years.

Finally, to be able to practice and carry the title of doctor, the student must also defend a research thesis.

To become an orthopedist at Québec

After college studies, the student must:

• follow a doctorate in medicine, lasting 1 or 4 years (with or without a preparatory year for medicine for students admitted with a college or university training deemed insufficient in basic biological sciences);

then specialize by following a residency in orthopedic surgery, for 5 years (two years of surgical foundations then 3 years of specialization in orthopedic surgery).

Before seeing an orthopedic surgeon, it is important to take any recent prescriptions, any x-rays, scans or even MRIs performed.

To find an orthopedic surgeon:

• in Quebec, you can consult the website of the Quebec orthopedic association4, which provides a list of its members;
• in France, via the website of the National Council of the Order of Physiciansâ ?? µ.

When the consultation is prescribed by an attending physician, it is covered by the Health Insurance (France) or the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec.