Differences Between Traumatology, Orthopedics, and Physiotherapy

Traumatology, orthopedics, and physiotherapy are three branches of medicine that primarily focus on supporting the rehabilitation of patients affected by various injuries and pathologies. These specialties are often confused, as they share general goals, but each one also has specific objectives that define their boundaries and differences.

Traumatology
Traumatology is generally associated with bones and injuries, but it covers a much broader field. This medical branch is dedicated to the study, research, prevention, and treatment of anything that affects the musculoskeletal system. This includes congenital or acquired diseases that affect bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments, as well as injuries caused by external factors. It's also worth mentioning that professionals in this field, typically traumatologists or orthopedic surgeons, may resort to surgery if needed, although in general, they prefer to delay invasive treatments as much as possible, only resorting to surgery in urgent cases. Acute injuries that occur immediately are considered traumatological, while chronic conditions with progressive evolution that require surgery are orthopedic issues. In some cases, musculoskeletal problems may not directly relate to bones or muscles but may have a neural origin. In these cases, traumatology leads to other specialized medical fields.

Orthopedics
Like traumatology, orthopedics focuses on diagnosing, treating, rehabilitating, and preventing musculoskeletal injuries and diseases. Initially, this specialty was dedicated to the care of children with spinal or limb deformities, but over time, its scope expanded to include individuals of all ages. Orthopedic surgeons are trained to diagnose conditions and decide whether prosthetics or orthotics are necessary. They can also prescribe medications and recommend exercises appropriate for specific injuries or conditions. The main difference between traumatology and orthopedics is that traumatology studies the origins of conditions from the outset, whereas orthopedics is relevant only after a diagnosis is made. Generally, orthopedic surgeons practice general orthopedics, though some specialize in specific areas like the foot, hand, shoulder, spine, hip, or knee. Orthopedic practices are also found in sports medicine, where it is especially useful for treating athletes.

Physiotherapy
The main difference between physiotherapy and the other two is that it does not focus exclusively on the recovery of the musculoskeletal system. Physiotherapy is a set of scientifically accepted practices used to treat various physical problems of different origins, both acute and chronic, in a non-pharmacological and non-invasive way. Physiotherapy uses physical means such as electricity, ultrasound, laser, heat, cold, water, and manual techniques, stretching, traction, and massage. Its goal is to enhance development, maintenance, and recovery of an individual's maximum functionality and mobility.

Key Differences
Traumatology: Study of the origin, understanding of pathologies and injuries, diagnosis, and application of surgical treatments for fractures and similar injuries.
Orthopedics: Diagnosis, application of prosthetics and orthotics, application of orthopedic surgeries.
Physiotherapy: Application of various therapies (depending on the pathology or injury), physiotherapy adapts to various specialties beyond just traumatology.

Physiotherapy. The main and greatest difference of physiotherapy compared to the other two is that it is not exclusively responsible for the recovery of body parts that make up the musculoskeletal system. In fact, physiotherapy is a set of scientifically accepted practices to treat various physical problems of diverse origins, both acute and chronic, in a non-pharmacological and non-invasive manner. It is based on treatments using physical agents such as electricity, ultrasound, lasers, heat, cold, water, and in other cases, therapies that include manual techniques like stretches, traction, and massages. The goal of physiotherapy is to improve the development, maintenance, and recovery of maximum functionality and mobility of the individual. In the human body, the smallest failure can trigger much more complex problems, so physiotherapy is responsible for providing the necessary support for a satisfactory recovery of various diseases or injuries that do not require surgical intervention or orthopedic corrections. This specialty uses a wide range of resources, such as massage therapy, which consists of different massage techniques combined depending on the condition, and hydrotherapy (water), which is also quite useful as it has therapeutic effects depending on the type of stream, amount, and pressure applied. These will determine the effect and result of the therapy applied.

Key Differences. Traumatology: Study of the origin, understanding of pathologies and injuries, diagnosis, and application of surgical treatments in cases of fractures and similar injuries. Orthopedics: Diagnosis, application of prosthesis and orthosis treatments, application of orthopedic surgeries. Physiotherapy: Application of various therapies (depending on the pathology or injury), physiotherapy does not solely adhere to traumatic needs and instead adapts to various specialties.

References.

• https://definicion.de/traumatologia/ 

• https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traumatolog%C3%ADa_y_ortopedia 

• http://www.sccot.org.co/index.php/2013-09-16-20-49-22/ortopedia 

• https://www.quora.com/Is-physiotherapist-equal-to-orthopedic 

• https://cuidateplus.marca.com/ejercicio-fisico/diccionario/fisioterapia.html 

• http://heiafisioterapia.com/servicios/fisioterapia-silleda/fisioterapia-ortopedica/ 

• https://www.fisiocantizal.es/noticias/fisioterapia-y-rehabilitacion-cual-es-la-diferencia-74 

• https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisioterapia 

The brands Beybies, Pura+, and NrgyBlast belong to Avimex de Colombia SAS. All products have quality certifications and current health registrations and are manufactured under the strictest international standards. To purchase our products, you can access our Shop-On Line. All purchases are backed by a 100% satisfaction or refund guarantee.