Orthopaedic surgery involves treating problems within your musculoskeletal system - the system that provides your body with structure, movement, stability and support.
A doctor who specialises in this field of medicine is known as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon.
Many orthopaedic surgeons today choose to specialise in a particular part of the body or a specific limb or joint, so you may see them describing their work as being primarily:
- Shoulder and elbow surgery
- Hand and wrist surgery
- Spinal surgery
- Hip surgery
- Knee surgery
- Ankle and foot surgery
At The Harbour Hospital in Poole, we can provide you with fast access to a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in any of these areas — giving you peace of mind that whatever symptoms you may have can be treated.
It is easy to see how important your arm is in daily life. A problem anywhere along your arm - whether it is your shoulder, elbow, hand or wrist - can have a significant impact on many of your normal daily activities and movement.
Shoulder and elbow surgery
Symptoms of a shoulder or elbow problem include:
- Pain and/or inflammation
- Stiffness
- Weakness
- Instability or frequent dislocations
- Pain at the end of the collarbone (clavicle)
- Popping, clicking or grating noises when the shoulder is moved
Common injuries include rotator cuff tear, elbow bursitis, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, frozen shoulder and bicep tendon tear. These may be the result of a sports injury or general 'wear and tear' as we age.
Learn more about shoulder and elbow treatments in Poole.
Hand and wrist surgery
Symptoms of a problem in your hand or wrist may include pain, stiffness, swelling, weakness or numbness.
Any problem in your hand or wrist can cause significant problems in daily life. Common problems include:
- Osteoarthritis in the wrist, fingers or thumbs
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Ganglion
- Trigger finger
- Dupuytren's disease.
Pain and stiffness in your hip or groin can be an indicator of a hip problem. The most common cause of hip pain is osteoarthritis.
When the hip joint has become worn out due to arthritis, is badly damaged and the pain can no longer be managed by non-surgical procedures, hip replacement surgery may be needed.
Learn more about hip surgery and other hip pain treatments in Poole.
Back pain is a common problem, with figures from Versus Arthritis estimating that 26,920 people living in Poole have back pain.
Common symptoms of a problem in the spine include neck pain, lower back pain, tingling or weakness in your arm or leg, muscle spasms and difficulty standing fully upright. There can be all sorts of reasons for back pain.
You can learn more about treatment for back problems in Poole here.
Sports injuries and 'wear and tear' degenerative changes are the two most common causes of knee problems. Any damage to your knee can make moving around much harder, sometimes even impossible without the use of crutches or a walking aid.
Common knee injuries include a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and a torn meniscus.
Problems with your foot or ankle can have a significant impact on your ability to move around. Whether you have ingrown toenails or big toe pain, bursitis, bunions (Hallux valgus) or ankle instability, the experienced foot and ankle specialists working at The Harbour Hospital will help you get the treatment you need as soon as possible.
Learn more about foot and ankle treatment options available in Poole.
Many orthopaedic injuries will not need surgery as conservative treatments will be sufficient.
Common non-operative treatments available at The Harbour Hospital include:
- Physiotherapy
- Pain relief medication (analgesia)
- Hip joint injections
Whether you are concerned about a problem in your arm, leg, hip or back, a private appointment with a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at The Harbour Hospital is an excellent way to beat the queues, avoid lengthy waiting lists, and get the help you need without delay.
When you visit us, you will meet your consultant in one of our eight private consulting rooms.
There, they will ask you in detail about your symptoms and the impact they are having on daily life for you. They may ask you questions like:
- What symptoms do you have?
- When did these symptoms appear? Was there an obvious cause?
- Are your symptoms staying the same or are they getting worse?
- Are you already receiving any treatment (e.g. physiotherapy) for this problem?
- Are there any things you are no longer able to do because of your symptoms?
They will carry out a physical examination of the affected area, and any other relevant areas. For example, for hip pain, a consultant will often also need to examine your back, legs and knees, because hip issues can sometimes be caused by a problem in these areas.
Diagnostic scans available in Poole
Depending on your symptoms and the physical examination, your consultant may arrange for you to have additional scans. These could be requested either to help confirm a diagnosis or to aid with treatment planning.
Some orthopaedic problems will require only a standard X-ray, while others may need more advanced diagnostic imaging like ultrasound, MRI or CT. These are all available on-site in our imaging department and can be easily - and quickly - arranged for you.
Once your consultant has the results of any investigations back, they will meet with you to discuss the results and explore suitable treatment options with you.
If surgery is advised, it will be fully explained to you by your consultant, who will be happy to discuss any queries or concerns you may have.
Some of the common types of orthopaedic surgery carried out at The Harbour are:
- Ligament repair - anterior or posterior cruciate ligament (ACL or PCL) reconstruction
- Cartilage surgery
- Knee replacement surgery (total, partial or revision)
- Meniscus repair
- Keyhole surgery/arthroscopy - this may be used in the spine, shoulder, hand, wrist, knee, ankle, foot or hip
- Hip replacement surgery
If any type of orthopaedic surgery is required, we will book it for you at a time that is convenient to you. Three operating theatres in the hospital help us keep waiting times for hip surgery down to a matter of weeks.
When you choose to go private with Circle Health Group, you can expect:
- Flexible appointment times and locations to fit your routine
- The freedom to choose which hospital and consultant suit your needs
- Personalised, consultant-led treatment plans tailored to you
- Comfortable and safe private facilities maintained by expert multidisciplinary teams
- Private ensuite rooms as standards and delicious healthy meals
- Affordable, fixed-price packages with aftercare included
- Flexible payment options to help you spread the cost of your care
To book a private consultation at The Harbour Hospital at a time that is convenient for you and with a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon of your choice, use our easy online booking portal or phone our friendly bookings team on 0141 300 5009.
Content reviewed by Circle in-house team in November 2022. Next review due November 2025.
- Back pain in Poole, Versus Arthritis
