• Orthopedists help fix broken bones."Red plaster socks" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: ItzaFineDay (Tavis Ford) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
  
  

Etymology

• The word orthopedist comes from the Greek "ortho," meaning "straight, true, correct, regular," and "paideia," meaning "rearing of children."
  
  

History

• Orthopedics began in the 18th century and initially focused on treating children with spine and limb deformities. Knowledge of bone and muscular development advanced significantly in the 19th century; the enormous casualty rate in World War I then prompted the founding of orthopedic training centers. Orthopedists now treat patients of all ages.
  
  

Responsibilities

• Orthopedists diagnose problems, determine an appropriate method of treatment and aid in the rehabilitation of injured or deformed bone structures.
  
  

Specialization

• Many orthopedists specialize in specific areas, such as the spine, foot and ankle, hip or knee, while others focus on certain fields such as pediatrics, trauma or sports medicine.
  
  

Significance

• More than one in four Americans has a musculoskeletal impairment. Musculoskeletal disorders cost the United States almost $850 billion each year.