General
Orthopedics

What Is General Orthopedics?

General orthopedics is a medical specialization dedicated to the coordinated and comprehensive management of various orthopedic conditions, addressing a spectrum of musculoskeletal issues. Providers in this field are referred to as orthopedists or orthopedic surgeons. They have undergone extensive training to treat disorders and injuries affecting bones, joints, and soft tissues, such as muscles, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.

Orthopedic doctors evaluate, treat, and manage patients who are experiencing degenerative diseases, like arthritis, or fractures as well as those requiring surgical interventions. Some orthopedists subspecialize in areas such as hip and knee joint replacement, hand and upper extremity, foot and ankle, or spine care. Alternatively, some general orthopedists concentrate on nonsurgical approaches.

Both general orthopedists and general orthopedic surgeons carry the overarching objective of restoring patients' mobility, function, and overall quality of life. 

Should You See an Orthopedic Surgeon?

Orthopedic conditions and injuries can cause a range of different symptoms in a patient. Knowing what symptoms to look for can help you decide to see a specialist. These symptoms include:

• Chronic pain
• Difficulty walking 
• Joint instability 
• Limited range of motion in joints 
• Muscle spasms
• Numbness or tingling
• Swelling around joints

Those symptoms can occur following a variety of issues, such as:

• Arthritis 
• Deformity
• Fractures 
• Ligament damage
• Plantar fasciitis 
• Sports injuries 
• Sprains 
• Tendonitis

Specialized Orthopedic Care You Can Trust in Abingdon, Bristol, Elizabethton & Johnson City

At Appalachian Orthopedics, we offer four convenient locations: Abingdon, Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, and Johnson City. Our specialty-trained orthopedic doctors at Appalachian Orthopedics, Dr. Jason Brashear, Dr. Jonathan Clark, Dr. James Goss, Dr. John Holbrook, Dr. Gabriel Hommel, Dr. Matthew Lamagna, Dr. John Mann, Dr. Bart McKinney, Dr. John Phillips, Dr. Alexander Rothy, Dr. Phillip Sussman, Dr. Larry Waldrop, Dr. T. Lisle Whitman, have a full understanding of the human anatomy and are dedicated to delivering an exceptional level of musculoskeletal care. They apply their expertise directly to your situation and can guide you toward treatments that help reduce pain and restore you to optimal health. Before suggesting surgery, our surgeons consistently explore nonsurgical alternatives with careful consideration. If surgery is ultimately needed, rest assured that our orthopedic experts will use their advanced skills along with our state-of-the-art technology to perform a surgical procedure that can help reduce or eliminate your pain and help you return to optimal health. 

Working alongside our orthopedic surgeons, our licensed physical therapists provide a full and comprehensive set of outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation services. They treat each patient's problem individually through an evaluation to design a specific treatment plan with the overall goal of restoring function and enhancing one's quality of life.

If pain is keeping you from living an active life, we're proud to offer access to an orthopedic specialist whenever you need it. Schedule an appointment online or call our Abingdon, Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, or Johnson City location for a consultation with one of our expert orthopedic surgeons to diagnose and treat your musculoskeletal issue.

For those acute injuries that can't wait, we also offer the following ways to be seen today: 

• Walk into one of our Orthopedic Urgent Care clinics at our Bristol Regional Medical Center or Johnson City office. No appointment needed.
• To be seen by a doctor on the same day, call your desired office.
• Chat with an orthopedic specialist 24/7, 365 days a year with our free OrthoCareNow service.