Common Orthopedic Problems

Orthopedic problems may relate to skeletal muscles, connective tissue (both tendons and ligaments), or tissues in or around joints. While infection and direct physical trauma can cause many orthopedic problems, overuse is the most common cause. Following is a brief list of common conditions:

Bursitis Inflammation of the bursa, which is a fluid-filled sac between muscle and bone that aids in movement

Tendonitis Inflammation of a tendon, which is the tissue tying a muscle to a bone

Myositis Inflammation of a muscle

Synovitis Inflammation of the synovial membrane, which forms the inner lining of joint cavities and secretes synovial fluid to aid in the movement of the bones in the joint space

Plantar Fasciitis Inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot

The constant in all of these conditions is inflammation, which is the body's normal reaction to infection or trauma. Inflammation involves special white blood cells as well as chemicals that expand the pores in capillaries to let large proteins enter the injured area. This influx of protein brings water along, causing the swelling. Tennis elbow and shin splints (more on these later) are examples of inflammatory reactions involving muscles and connective tissue.