DisordersWhile many musculoskeletal disorders are caused by congenital diseases, injuries and inappropriate loading, simple wear and tear has come to represent the most common cause. This development is related to the significant increases in life expectancy that have been enabled by various medical advances in the course of the past several decades.
Our capacity to move about the world, to work, to play sports and to associate with others depends on a proper functioning musculoskeletal system. It is therefore essential for the quality of our lives to detect disorders at the earliest possible stage and to combat their progression.
A joint disorder that restricts our capacity to move about the world in the accustomed manner should never be regarded in isolation from the rest of our bodies. This is because any joint that is restricted in its function will automatically have an impact on neighboring joints. These other joints will be required to compensate for the malfunctioning joint and may themselves sustain damage as a result.
Chronic tension and pain lead to muscle stiffness and tears as well as problems with ligaments, tendons and capsules. Chronic pain will have a negative impact on all aspects of our lives. This why is it is often important to administer skilled palliative care to patients while at the same time seeking to treat the cause of a disorder. It would be big mistake to regard orthopedic disorders as purely biomechanical phenomena. True and lasting healing can only be achieved by taking a holistic approach to the patient and all aspects of treatment, including diagnosis, prevention and rehabilitation.
In what follows, we would like to give you a brief overview of some of the most common orthopedic disorders. The scope of the discussions we present is necessarily limited and we wish to make no claims about their comprehensiveness. Despite the similarity of many symptoms and the tendency in medicine examine and categorize, every disorder is individual and requires a customized evaluation.
