FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS-GENERAL ORTHOPAEDICS

What kinds of conditions do the physicians at Bone & Joint treat?

We treat a wide variety of disorders involving all areas of the musculoskeletal system - bones, joints and connective tissues. Specific conditions include, but are not limited to, degenerative diseases like arthritis, injuries, fractures, sprains, tears, structural abnormalities, sciatica, and herniated or degenerative disc disease.

Do you always recommend surgery?

No. Many conditions can be treated without surgery. Treatment option(s) for your disease or condition will be presented and explained to you following careful assessment, evaluation, and discussion.

What non-surgical treatments might be available for my specific problem?

Depending on your condition, we may be able to treat you with different medications, such as muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory medications, or pain relievers. We may be able to alleviate your symptoms through physical therapy, activity modification, or joint injections. We may refer you to a pain management specialist.

What is the difference between fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons and those who graduated from school without fellowship training?

Orthopaedic surgeons can successfully perform general orthopedic surgery with the training they received during their internship and residency training programs. Fellowship training involves additional training in a specific area of orthopaedics that provides additional experience and requires advanced skills in that particular area of interest.

What does it mean to be board certified?

Board certification for an orthopaedic surgeon is earned by successfully completing training from an accredited program and passing multiple, rigid written and oral examinations. However, a physician cannot take these examinations until he or she has been in practice for two full years. Doctors who choose to become board certified have mastered the skills they learned during their residency training programs.

Do all surgeons have to be board certified to perform surgery?

No. Board certification is optional - not all surgeons are able or interested in becoming board certified.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SPORTS MEDICINE

Many people wonder how sports medicine-orthopaedic doctors differ from family medicine doctors or orthopaedic surgeons. Here are some fast facts about our clinic's services and our health care providers.

How do the doctors at  Bone & Joint differ from a primary care doctor or a (non-surgical) orthopedic doctor?
Sports medicine-orthopaedic doctors are usually doctors of family, pediatric or internal medicine (primary care) who have a special interest in caring for active people and athletes of any age. Our sports medicine doctor's advanced training allows them to diagnose and treat injuries and health problems that affect activities of daily living and sports.

Our primary care orthopaedic physician, Dr. Messerly, is not an orthopaedic surgeon; rather, he specialize in non-surgical treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and refers to orthopaedic surgeons and other specialists when surgery is needed. Dr. Messerly has completed a sports medicine fellowship and a certificate of added qualifications in sports medicine.

Our sports medicine orthopaedic surgeons, Dr. Jarvis, Dr. Priebe, and Dr. Wessels, hold a special interest in sports medicine.  Dr. Jarvis also has a completed a sports medicine certificate of added qualification in sports medicine.

Our sports medicine physician and surgeons serve as team physicians for local high school athletic teams.

What if I'm an injured athlete?
Our doctors specialize in sports-related injuries and in working with athletes of any age. And because they are active too, they understand how important it is to get back your sport. They understand return-to-play requirements and work with athletes, team physicians, trainers, coaches and others to get athletes back in the game as quickly and as safely as possible.

How is Bone & Joint different?
Bone & Joint is a multi-speciality clinic, with sports medicine and orthopaedic experts from many areas of training working together - all under one roof.

From sports medicine-orthopaedic physicians, surgeons, and physician assistants, to athletic trainers and podiatrists, your diagnosis and treatment take place in one convenient location. This ensures you receive high quality, continuous care - doctor to physical therapist - in a timely manner. And because we understand some muscle and joint concerns just can't wait, we accept same-day/next-day appointments.