“It will hurt too much.”

“Recovery will take too long.”  

“There’s probably nothing they can do.”

These are just a few of the common misconceptions that keep people from seeing an orthopaedic specialist and resolving painful or debilitating conditions.

Endeavor Health orthopaedic surgeon Krishna Ravella, MD, highlights some of the myths surrounding orthopaedic surgery.

  1. Myth: Orthopaedic surgeons will automatically recommend surgery.
    “A lot of what we do is to recommend conservative options first; treatments such as bracing, activity modifications, physical or occupational therapy or steroid injections, before considering surgery,” said Dr. Ravella. “My goal is to try and treat patients without surgery if possible.”

    Dr. Ravella walks patients through their options to ensure that they are the decision-maker and a key part of the process to determine treatment. Of course, some injuries like fractures that result from a trauma like a fall or accident may require surgery as a first course to provide the best chance for a full recovery.
     

  2. Myth: Surgery will be painful, and recovery will take too long.
    “One of our main goals is to restore patients’ quality of life,” said Dr. Ravella. Tremendous advances in technology involving minimally invasive surgery and efficient recovery protocols have led to far quicker and less painful recoveries for many orthopaedic procedures.

    “Typically, procedures are not as daunting as people think they are going to be and recovery is often smoother than expected,” he added. More than 95 percent of the hand surgeries Dr. Ravella performs are same-day procedures where patients go home a few hours after surgery, and many of the surgeries are performed with only local anesthesia, which helps with quicker recovery.

    Some patients may end up needing surgery for both hands, such as patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. After patients recover from one procedure, they are often reassured and less anxious going into the next procedure, explained Dr. Ravella.
     

  3. Myth: Surgery is just for athletes or the elderly.
    “We treat people of all shapes, sizes and ages,” said Dr. Ravella, who has heard that potential patients often assume that surgery is really for athletes with major sports injuries, or for the elderly dealing with extreme degenerative conditions.

    “We help weekend warriors, children, teenagers, and adults dealing with pain and injuries,” said Dr. Ravella. “Patients don’t have to suffer and live with chronic pain. Technically, many orthopaedic procedures are considered elective surgery, but that doesn’t mean they are not necessary or important for improving quality of life, he added.
     

  4. Myth: Nothing can be done to fix the problem.
    People might have been told by someone, not necessarily even a physician, that nothing can be done for their pain. Or they could have been told by a surgeon without the right experience or expertise that their condition is not treatable, he said.

    “It’s really important not to minimize patients’ feelings — it’s never too late to see a specialist,” said Dr. Ravella, who encourages anyone suffering from joint, muscle or other skeletal pain to see a specialist.