Providers
Each year, more than 28 million Americans suffer from the development of some problem affecting the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system is composed of the joints, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and connective tissue. The study and research of the musculoskeletal system in the medical field is a specialty called orthopedics.
At Personalized Orthopedics of the Palm Beaches, our state-of-the-art orthopedic practice is composed of board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons, interventional spine specialists, and physiatrist, who are dedicated to restoring the active lifestyles of our patients. Our team approach of comprehensive care, enables us to provide our patients with high-quality surgical and non-surgical care for injuries and conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system, mainly the hip and knee, shoulder, neck and spine.
Learn more about our providers below:
What is An Orthopedic Surgeon?
An orthopedic doctor plays a critical role in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation of various musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. Board-certified orthopedists work in both hospitals and specialized private practices to treat various orthopedic problems of the knee, shoulder, hip, and back, including, overuse injuries, infections, sports and work-related injuries, broken bones, dislocations, joint problems (i.e., arthritis), congenital conditions, and degenerative conditions (i.e., osteoporosis). They also handle everything from minor issues such as a sprains and strains, to complex procedures and surgeries, such as hip replacement.
As we age, the joints in the human body can start to stiffen, due to injury, wear and tear, or degeneration due to conditions such as arthritis. At Personalized Orthopedics of the Palm Beaches, our board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons know the important role rehabilitation and physical therapy plays in the treatment and recovery of many of the injuries and conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system.
What is A Physical Therapist?
If you sustain an orthopedic injury like a torn meniscus or broken bone, or you are diagnosed with a condition like arthritis, your orthopedist will recommend physical therapy as a starting point, as an effective nonsurgical treatment to relieve pain and restore function, range of motion, and strength. Often, doctors turn to physical therapy methods to try and relieve pain and restore function, before turning to surgery as a last resort. However, if PT is unsuccessful at treating the problem, surgery will most likely be the next step, in hopes of getting the patient closer to recovery.
A physical therapist is a highly-skilled, educated and licensed health care professional that works directly with patients who are experiencing pain or disability from an illness or injury. After a thorough evaluation, they develop individual plans of care that will help patients regain as much function as possible, minimize pain, and prevent future injuries and disability.
Whether it’s a short-lived pain from a sporting injury or long-term pain from conditions like arthritis, pain can be difficult to live with and manage. Having medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit your abilities to move and perform everyday activities in your daily life is frustrating and debilitating. From helping arthritic pain and bursitis, to the care and recovery from broken and fractured bones, and sprains and strains, physical therapists are highly educated healthcare experts in the movement and function of the human body, a science called kinesiology. Due to their specific skills and training, PT’s are able to diagnose and treat people with disabling conditions and other physical impairments and create treatment customized treatment plans based on the patient’s specific needs.
Physical therapists and PT Assistants not only physically provide treatments and assist patients in performing exercises, but also teach them how to continue exercising after their treatment is complete, to stay healthy and prevent future injury. They work with patients who have experienced a wide range of illnesses and injuries, but their goal is always to help the patient live as independent and pain-free as possible. Examples of patients who will benefit from physical therapy are those who have experienced fractures or orthopedic surgery, strokes, sports injuries, accidents, neurological injuries or illnesses, pain from arthritis, and back injuries.
Physical therapy has a long history of returning individuals to their maximum level of physical function and in many cases, patients are being sent to physical therapy instead of surgery. Patients/clients value the individualized, "hands on" approach that characterizes physical therapy care. When a physical therapist sees a patient/client for the first time, he or she examines that individual and develops a plan of care that promotes the ability to move, reduces pain, restores function, and prevents disability.
What is A Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA)?
Under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist is a physical therapist assistant (PTA). Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) provide physical therapy services under the direct direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist. Like physical therapists, the PTA also has specialized training in treating musculoskeletal problems. Physical therapists rely on the PTA to help carry out the plan of care and treatment. The physical therapist, PTA, and the patient, then work hand-in-hand to make sure that the goals of the plan or care are met.
These plans may include exercise, manual therapy and manipulation, education, heat or cold therapy, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and teaching patients to work with durable medical equipment (DME), which are assistive devices such as walkers or canes and artificial limbs. .
What is an Interventional Spine Specialist?
An interventional spine specialist treats spine problems with injections and other treatments. The specialist can be a trained physiatrist or anesthesiologist. Though these physicians are from different specialties, specific training, in the form of a fellowship, provides these specialists with the knowledge and skills to perform the procedures used to treat spine related pain. These skills consist of injection techniques, radiofrequency techniques, and cryotherapy techniques to treat the various problems in the spine that cause pain. Note that not all physiatrists and anesthesiologists are interventional pain specialists. It’s the additional specialty training that allows these physicians to become interventional pain specialists.
What are Physiatrists?
Essentially, physiatrists specialize in a wide variety of non-surgical treatments for the musculoskeletal system - the muscles, bones, and associated nerves, ligaments, tendons, and other structures - and the musculoskeletal disorders that cause pain and/or difficulty with functioning.
A physiatrist's treatment focuses on helping the patient become as functional and pain-free as possible with physical means of treatment, such as physical therapy, in order to participate in and enjoy life as fully as possible.
