Orthopaedics SA

Trauma

Young male athlete in white t-shirt examining knee pain while sitting on pathway

Specialised treatment for trauma

Orthopaedic trauma refers to injuries of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels, or related soft tissues that most commonly occur during sports, exercise or any other physical activity.

Trauma may be a result of accidents, poor training practices or with use of improper gear. Injuries may also be caused when an individual is not medically fit or because of insufficient warm up and stretching exercises. Musculoskeletal injuries are a group of painful disorders that arise due to wear and tear resulting in impairment in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system.

trauma frequently asked questions

The specialist orthopaedic surgeons at Orthopaedics SA in Adelaide are highly skilled in diagnosing, treating, and managing orthopaedic trauma conditions.

What are the types of orthopaedic trauma?

Fractures

Fractures occur when a bone breaks due to force or stress. Various types of fractures include:

  • Compound Fractures: Also known as open fractures, where the broken bone pierces the skin. These injuries are often severe and can result from high-impact activities like car accidents or falls from height.
  • Greenstick Fractures: Common in children, these are incomplete fractures where the bone bends but doesn’t completely break. This often results from falls or minor impacts.

Dislocations

A dislocation happens when the bones in a joint are forced out of their normal positions, often causing intense pain and immobility. Commonly affected joints include the shoulder, elbow, and fingers. Dislocations can result from sports injuries, falls, or other high-impact incidents.

Sprains and strains

·      Sprains: A sprain is an injury to a ligament, the tissue connecting bones. It often occurs in the ankle or wrist due to twisting or impact. Symptoms include swelling, bruising, and limited movement.

  • Strains: A strain affects muscles or tendons, typically due to overstretching or tearing. Common sites include the lower back and hamstring, often resulting from overuse or improper lifting.

Tendon injuries

Tendon injuries, such as an Achilles tendon rupture, occur when the tendon fibres tear, either partially or completely. This injury often results from sudden movements, like jumping or pivoting. Treatment options range from rest and physical therapy to surgery, depending on the severity.

Consult your doctor if:

  • You experience severe pain, swelling, or numbness
  • You can’t tolerate any weight on the area
  • Pain or dull ache of an old injury
  • If pain is accompanied by swelling or if you feel the joint as unstable

All injuries need time to heal so proper rest helps the process. So you must also take time to rest after an injury.

Acute injuries are the sudden injuries that occur during playing or exercising and include sprained ankles, strained backs, and fractured hands.

Chronic injuries happen from overusing one part of the body for playing a sport or exercising, particularly when practiced for a longer duration.

How is orthopaedic trauma diagnosed?

The first step for diagnosing orthopaedic trauma is with a physical examination. The orthopaedic surgeon assesses the injury by testing the range of motion, palpating the affected area to identify tenderness or swelling, and observing any deformities. This initial assessment guides further diagnostic steps.

Imaging techniques

  • X-rays help identify fractures and dislocations.
  • MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) provides detailed images of soft tissues, including ligaments, tendons, and muscles, making it essential for diagnosing sprains and strains.
  • CT scans offer cross-sectional images of bones and are particularly useful in complex fractures.

Understanding the patient’s medical history and the circumstances surrounding the injury is vital. This information can reveal underlying conditions, previous injuries, or risk factors that might affect treatment decisions.

The treatment of musculoskeletal injuries includes both non-surgical and surgical methods. Non-surgical methods are the initial line of management and include:

  • Restriction of movement of the injured part
  • Heat or cold treatment that may relieve pain and accelerate repair process
  • Exercise and physical therapy to help in stretching the injured muscle
  • Medication such as anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics
  • In cases where non-surgical methods are not effective, surgical repair of the underlying muscle, tendon, or ligament is recommended.

Age

As individuals age, bones can become more brittle, increasing the risk of fractures, especially from minor falls or impacts. Conditions like osteoporosis further heighten this risk.

Physical fitness

Poor physical conditioning or failing to warm up before physical activities can increase the risk of sprains, strains, and other injuries. Regular exercise and proper warm0up routines can help maintain joint flexibility and muscle strength, reducing the likelihood of trauma.

Occupation and lifestyle

Certain occupations or hobbies that involve repetitive stress, heavy lifting, or high-impact activities can increase the risk of orthopaedic trauma. For example, construction workers, athletes, and dancers are more prone to injuries like sprains, strains, and fractures due to the physical demands of their activities.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of orthopaedic trauma, request a referral from your GP to see the orthopaedic specialists at Orthopaedics SA in Adelaide. We can provide personalised treatment options and compassionate support.

Trauma treatments

filter by body area

  • Ankle Arthroscopy

    Ankle arthroscopy is most often performed to remove scar tissue and inflammation or to remove small detachments of bone and cartilage. Recent advances have permitted surgical procedures to be performed inside joints without opening the joints by traditional methods. Using

  • Ankle Block for Foot Surgery

    Nearly all mid and forefoot surgery can be comfortably and reliably performed using local anaesthesia (ankle block). Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon, Dr George Dracopoulos and Anaesthetist, Dr Glenda Rudkin have recently completed a six year study of 1000 patients

  • Ankle Ligament Reconstruction

    At Orthopaedics SA, we provide high-quality care for all of your musculoskeletal needs, including ankle ligament reconstruction surgery, a medical procedure that is used to treat ankle sprains and instability. Ankle ligaments are tough bands of tissue that connect the

  • Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction

    The anterior cruciate ligament is the most commonly disrupted ligament in the knee. Our understanding of the anterior cruciate ligament and its importance to knee stability has increased greatly over the past 20 years, as has our ability to diagnose

  • Anterior Hip Replacement

    Anterior hip replacement is one of three common approaches (anterior, lateral and posterior) used to place a total hip replacement. It involves approaching surgery from the front of the hip joint (as opposed to the side or back of the

  • Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

    Arthroscopic surgery of the knee is performed using a small telescope (arthroscope) and operating instruments which are inserted through, three punctures (usually) approximately 5 millimetres long. Using this technique, it is possible to remove torn cartilage and other loose pieces

  • Biceps Tenodesis & Tenotomy

    Biceps tenodesis and biceps tenotomy are two similar surgical procedures used to treat chronic pain and tendonitis in the long head biceps tendon. It may also be used to treat SLAP tears. Tenodesis involves cutting the biceps tendon and attaching

  • Carpal Tunnel Release

    Carpal tunnel release is a surgery performed to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. It aims to relieve symptoms by decreasing pressure on the median nerve. The median nerve provides nerve signals to the thumb and sensation to the palm side of

  • Elbow Arthroscopy

    Elbow arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery performed using a tiny device called arthroscope. The elbow is the joint that connects the upper arm bone and the forearm bones. Elbow joint helps in movement of the arms forward, backward, as

  • Hip Arthroscopy

    Hip arthroscopy is a minimally-invasive surgical procedure in which a small camera is inserted through an incision in the hip. The camera, which displays an image of the inside of the hip joint on a video monitor, is used by

  • Hip Replacement Surgery

    Hip replacement surgery is the process where your surgeon removes damaged sections of the hip joint, and replaces them with an artificial joint. The purpose of this operation is to improve the function of the hip, remove pain, and restore

  • Keyhole (Minimally Invasive) Bunion Surgery

    Minimally invasive (keyhole) bunion surgery is a technique that reduces the size of the incisions during the surgical procedure. Using specialised small tools, your surgeon performs the entire bunion removal surgery through several small cuts, reducing scarring and recovery time.

  • Open Bunion Surgery

    There are over 150 different surgical options for correcting a bunion, but they all tend to involve moving the bone(s) to narrow the foot and realign the big toe as well as shaving off the bunion. Keyhole bunion surgery is

  • Patellofemoral Replacement/​Stabilisation

    Orthopaedics SA’s Adelaide-based orthopaedic clinic is committed to providing high-quality care and treatment for patients with knee joint conditions, including patellofemoral problems. The patella (kneecap) and the femur (thigh bone) meet at the knee joint. When problems arise in this

  • Revision Hip Replacement

    This means that part or all of your previous hip replacement needs to be revised. This operation varies from a minor adjustment to a considerable operation replacing significant amount of bone. Total Hip Replacement (THR) procedure replaces all or part

  • Revision Knee Replacement Surgery

    Revision Knee Replacement means that part or all of your previous knee replacement needs to be revised. Surgery is not a pleasant prospect for anyone, but for some people with arthritis, it could mean the difference between leading a normal

  • Robotic Assisted Hip Replacement Surgery

    Robotic surgery utilises computer-assisted planning combined with a robotic arm guided by your surgeon. It is an advancement of a current technology using computer navigation to assist positioning of a joint replacement implant. Robotic assisted joint replacement is a relatively

  • Robotic Assisted Knee Surgery

    Robotic surgery utilises computer-assisted planning combined with a robotic arm guided by your surgeon. It is an advancement of a current technology using computer navigation to assist positioning of a joint replacement implant. Used regularly by our surgeons since 2017,

  • Shoulder Arthroscopy

    A shoulder arthroscopy allows your surgeon to look inside your shoulder joint and perform a number of procedures using small instruments guided through tiny incisions made in the skin.

  • Shoulder Replacement Surgery

    Also called ‘shoulder arthroplasty’, shoulder replacement surgery is a procedure used to treat very damaged shoulder joints. It is usually recommended as a final treatment after conservative treatments – such as pain medication and physiotherapy – have failed. Orthopaedics SA

  • SLAP Tear Repair

    SLAP is an acronym for superior, labrum, anterior, and posterior – A SLAP tear is an injury to the top part of the labrum where the biceps tendon attaches. The labrum is the ring of cartilage which reinforces the ball-and-socket

  • Total Ankle Replacement

    Though a generally uncommon procedure, total ankle replacement can drastically reduce pain and restore movement, particularly in people who suffer from conditions such as ankle arthritis. Operating from locations across Adelaide, Orthopaedics SA surgeons supply uniquely tailored assessments and treatments

  • Total Hip Replacement (THR)

    Total Hip Replacement is the surgery performed to replace a damaged or worn hip joint. A smooth and compressible substance known as articular cartilage coats the surface of the ball (femoral head) and socket (acetabulum). Arthritis occurs when the articular

  • Total Knee Replacement Surgery (TKR)

    A total knee replacement is an operation performed on a knee joint damaged by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, accidents or sports injuries. It is carried only after other forms of treatment have no further benefit. The knee is commonly referred to

  • Unicompartmental Knee Replacement

    Unicompartmental or partial knee replacement replaces the worn part of the knee whilst retaining the healthy part of the knee. This is not a new concept but there has been resurgence in popularity recently. Better instruments allow for better tissue

  • Wrist Reconstruction Surgery

    ‘Wrist reconstruction’ can refer to a number of surgical procedures, including wrist ligament reconstruction, tendon transfer, wrist joint fusion, and any combination of these. Most commonly, it refers to a wrist joint replacement surgery. Due to the versatility of its

Why Orthopaedics SA?

Comprehensive care

From arthritis to sports injuries, we treat a full spectrum of bone and joint conditions to keep you moving.

Expert surgeons

Our highly trained doctors have years of experience delivering precise and effective treatments.

SA’s largest practice

With 23 specialists, we offer unmatched expertise and evidence-based care for every patient.

Multiple locations

We have multiple clinics across South Australia, making it simple to find expert care nearby.

Patient-centric approach

We prioritise understanding your condition to ensure every treatment recommendation feels right for you.

Reliable support

Our team of nurses and administrative staff works behind the scenes to make your experience smooth and stress-free.

We take responsibility for our patient’s experience

From your initial consultation to follow-up care, our team will guide you through every step of your treatment. Your specialist will provide a detailed recovery plan, including physical therapy to restore function and prevent future injuries.

Care

We care for people

Professionalism

We bring our best

Communication

We are open and genuine

Community

We are strongest together

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