We are living in a society with lots of myths related to Orthopedics. Orthopedics is a branch of medicine and surgery that deals with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. There are certain "Dadi Maa Ke Nuskhe" which are still alive in our country. So today we are here to put some light over the misconceptions related to Orthopedics. We interacted with Dr. Gaurav Rastogi, an Orthopedic consultant in Manipal Hospital Dwarka. He is an Orthopedic surgeon who deals with all the conditions related to bone and joints.

Common Misconceptions about Orthopedics

Myth 1 - A patient who is suffering from arthritis should not consume sour foods/dairy products.

Fact - This is a very common misconception because people stop taking food items that are essential for your body. This does not help at all. Sour food is a good source of vitamin C which is essential for your body. Curd is also a good source of friendly bacteria, Vitamin B12, and a little amount of vitamin D. So, if you are avoiding curd or any sour products because you are suffering from Arthritis then you are ignoring these essential nutrients as well. So this is a wrong practice that people follow blindly.

Myth 2 - There is no problem or condition if you can move your concerned joints after an injury.

Fact - Well, this is a very common misconception and many people get baffled when we say that you have a small fracture. People say that how is it possible, I can move that joint. For example, your knee gets injured, but your toe and ankle is fine. You can move your toe and ankle. You will feel pain in your knee only, the rest of your joints will work perfectly. So an injury affects the local area of your body. It doesn't affect the other parts.

Myth 3 - Only surgery is an option to treat orthopedic conditions.

Fact - This statement is not true. So many people walk into the hospital and only one of them gets operated. Surgery is the last option we have for conditions like knee pain, back pain, or spine disorder. Let's talk about back pain which is very common these days. We can say that 99% of back conditions can be treated without surgeries. We use different techniques like heat application, physiotherapy or certain exercises to cure the back pain. Very few of them require surgery. Not only back pain, but this is also applicable for other parts of the body like hip, shoulder, or knee.

Myth 4 - Physical therapy is not as important.

Fact - No, this is not true. Physical therapy is very helpful in the treatment of various orthopedic conditions like back pain, shoulder pain, and hip pain. Saying no to physiotherapy and focusing on medicines is not a good practice. Even medicines will work much better if the patient is getting physiotherapy done. We see many patients who put a question like, "do I need to go for physiotherapy daily as I don't have time?" My message to those patients is that you are hurting your selves. Take out time and go for physiotherapy, it will surely help you a lot. Physiotherapy is very important.

Myth 5 - Only elders need joint replacement surgery.

Fact - This statement is not entirely wrong. Predominantly elderly population needs knee replacement surgery as mostly arthritis happens because of wear and tear of joints, which is a normal part of aging. At this point, you may need a knee replacement. But, increasingly, a lot of the younger population is also coming up to seek medical help for knee or hip pain. And if the joint is damaged then we do not have any other option but surgery. If the patient is unlucky enough to have a damaged joint at the age of 20 or 30 years, there is no point waiting to turn 60 and getting the surgery done. Get it done as soon as possible to avoid the pain and discomfort.

Takeaways

Misconceptions are something that can harm your lives, especially if they are related to your health. Do not follow anyone's advice blindly. Just think and consult with your doctor before implementing them. Check out all the article in #CrediTalk series here. For a priority appointment or more information, contact us at +91 8010994994 or book an appointment with Dr. Gaurav Rastogi here -
This write-up was contributed to Credihealth by Dr. Gaurav Rastogi

About The Doctor

Dr. Gaurav Rastogi is a successful orthopedic consultant at the best ortho doctors in Chennai or Manipal Hospital, Dwarka. He has an experience of 11 years in orthopedic department. He is a very experienced and renowned doctor of this field. He did his MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi and MS from the same college.

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