Conservative or surgical

Disorders of the musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, ligaments, and joints) range from sprains and strains to fractures and severe joint damage. These can be treated conservatively or surgically.

Conservative treatment

A conservative treatment is a non-surgical approach, so without an operation. Think of physical therapy, painkillers, braces, exercises, and shockwave therapy. These treatments are aimed at reducing pain and restoring the function of injured muscles, bones, and joints.

An example of a conservative treatment is physical therapy for a patient with a sprained ankle. The physical therapist can use various exercises and techniques to reduce pain and swelling and to strengthen the ankle again.

Surgical treatment

Surgical treatments are procedures such as repairing a broken bone, replacing an affected joint with an artificial joint, or repairing torn ligaments. These treatments are usually only done if conservative treatments have no (further) effect or if it concerns serious (acute) problems. For example, after an accident.

An example of a surgical procedure is a knee replacement for a patient with severe knee osteoarthritis. The orthopedic surgeon will remove the affected parts of the knee and replace them with an artificial joint to restore the function of the knee and reduce pain.