Orthopaedic clinic

The orthopaedic clinic is for problems and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Most often these are disorders of the joints and spine, sports injuries and conditions that result from injuries and wear. Lower back pain that does not settle, a joint that swells after exertion, or a movement that has not been the same since an injury are typical reasons for an examination.

At the clinic we examine you, refer you for further tests if needed and advise you on treatment. This may be treatment with medicines, physical therapy and suitable recreational exercise, and where it makes sense also surgical treatment, which we discuss with you.

Besides the general orthopaedic clinic, two specialised clinics are available: shoulder orthopaedics, and hip, knee and foot orthopaedics. Both are described below. Spine problems and anything that does not belong in the specialised clinics are seen at the general orthopaedic clinic.

Orthopaedic examinations with us are self-pay, so you do not need a referral and can book yourself, even without seeing your personal doctor first. X-rays and physiotherapy are also available at the centre.

Shoulder joint instability, rotator cuff injuries and degenerative changes are among the more common reasons for seeing an orthopaedist. The shoulder joint has the greatest range of movement of all the joints in the body, and that very mobility makes it vulnerable to overload and injury.

You reach for the top shelf and feel a stab of pain. At night you cannot lie on one side. You can raise your arm to a certain height, but beyond that only with the help of your other arm. Descriptions like these tell the orthopaedist a great deal before they even begin the physical examination.

So the examination begins with a conversation. When the problems started, whether an injury was to blame, what triggers the pain and what eases it. A clinical examination follows, in which the doctor checks the range of movement, strength and stability of the joint and performs tests to try to distinguish between the different causes of the problem. Whether imaging is also needed for the assessment, and which kind, is decided by the doctor at the examination.

After the examination you weigh up the options together. For some problems treatment with medicines, adjusting your activity, guided physiotherapy and suitable recreational exercise are enough; in other cases further tests or referral for further care make sense. You receive the findings of the examination and the proposed next steps in a written report.

The clinic is for specialist care of problems and diseases of the ankle and foot. We also treat knee and hip problems that result from degenerative disease or from other conditions that lead to wear of the joint.

If needed, we complement the clinical examination of hips, knees and feet with an X-ray, which is available at our centre. Whether an X-ray before the examination makes sense is decided by the doctor when you book or at the examination itself.

Weight-bearing joints carry a load every day, which you are not aware of until they start making themselves felt. Pain in the hip that moves into the groin. A knee that stiffens after sitting for a while and will not cooperate for the first few steps. A heel that burns with the first step in the morning.

The causes vary considerably: sports injuries to the knee ligaments and meniscus, wear of the joint cartilage, Achilles tendon problems, foot deformities, overuse injuries in runners and recreational athletes. In conversation the orthopaedist looks for the link between the symptom and the load that triggers it, then assesses the mobility, gait and stability of the affected joint.

The proposed care follows the findings of the examination. It may be physiotherapy, adjusting your exercise or footwear, further imaging or a consultation with a surgeon. We discuss which path suits you together with you, with a clear explanation of what the assessment is based on.