What to Expect at Your Orthopedic Visit

Whether you have an acute injury or a chronic condition, you want quick relief in the least amount of time. Knowing what to expect at your orthopedic appointment helps to get your treatment plan started on the right foot.

At the Spine and Orthopedic Center of New Mexico, our team is ready to treat even the most minor injuries when you need it. Our skilled orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Omar Osmani, skillfully diagnoses and treats multiple types of injuries and chronic physical pain.

Conditions that warrant an orthopedic appointment

At some point in your life, you’ll likely sustain an injury, whether it’s a minor pulled muscle, or something more severe, such as a broken bone. Either way, you’ll need specialized care if you’re going to get back to your normal activities as quickly as possible.

So how do you know if you need to see an orthopedic doctor, like Dr. Osmani, or just a regular family physician? Dr. Osmani specializes in orthopedic care, meaning care of your bones and joints. You may also need to see him if you suffer any kind of muscular injury or damage to your ligaments and tendons.

Conditions that involve your shoulders, knees, and hips are the most common areas that signal the need to see an orthopedic specialist. Injuries and conditions that Dr. Osmani treats include:

ACL injuries
Rotator cuff tears
Fractures
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Hip injuries
Osteoarthritis

Dr. Osmani also treats many different conditions that involve your back and spine. He provides surgery if necessary, including minimally invasive techniques and joint replacements.

What you can expect at your initial visit

At your initial orthopedic appointment, you’ll need to bring a form of photo identification, along with your insurance card. You’ll also want to bring any imaging studies or paperwork from another facility so that Dr. Osmani can get caught up on your condition. You want to make sure you have an up-to-date list of your current medications along with you as well.

Once you’re all checked in, a nurse takes you into an exam room, records your vital signs, and asks you some general questions about your injury. Once Dr. Osmani comes into the room, he listens to your description of the injury, your symptoms, and asks questions to gather as much relevant information as possible.

You also want to let Dr. Osmani know about any treatments that you’ve tried, and if those treatments helped or not.

Dr. Osmani then performs a physical exam of the injured area. This may involve him asking you to perform certain movements to see what makes your pain worse or better.

He then recommends treatment options, which may follow imaging studies if he feels they’re warranted. Once Dr. Osmani has all the information, he gives you treatment options and asks if you have any questions.

Once you have a plan, your visit is finished, and the staff schedules your treatment.

Will you need a follow up?

Whether you’ve seen Dr. Osmani for a minor injury or a serious condition like a rotator cuff tear or a broken bone, you’ll likely need to come back at least once for follow-up care. Follow-ups are important because they allow Dr. Osmani to monitor your progress and the effectiveness of your treatment.

At a follow-up appointment, Dr. Osmani may take a second round of imaging studies, like X-rays, to monitor the progress of your body’s healing. If you aren’t healing properly with conservative treatments after several months, he might recommend surgical intervention.

Follow-ups are just as important as your initial visit because they allow Dr. Osmani to suggest alternative therapies if your current treatment regimen isn’t working.

If you’re experiencing pain due to an acute, chronic, or overuse injury, Dr. Osmani can help. Call our office at 575-623-9101 or book an appointment online today.