Orthopedic surgery deals with problems of the spine and the extremities. An orthopedic surgeon diagnoses and treats patients whose musculoskeletal problems include arthritis, trauma and congenital deformities. He or she also works with patients who have traumatic and overuse injuries. Using both surgical and non-surgical means, the orthopedic surgeon will treat injuries and degenerative problems of the spine and extremities, such as hands, feet, knees, shoulders and elbows.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Spinal Infection, Spinal Discectomy, Spinal Injury, Spondylolisthesis, Spinal Stenosis, Herniated Disc, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Scoliosis, Spinal Deformity, Spinal Cord Tumors, arthritis, Trigger finger, Tennis elbow, Wrist fractures, Ganglion cysts, Orthopaedic trauma, Brachial plexus injuries, and congenital deformities.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Disc Disease / Surgery, Hand surgery, Hip Replacement, Back / Spine Surgery , Invasive Disc Surgery, Joint Surgery, Kyphosis Surgery, Shoulder arthroscopy and débridement, Repair of ankle fracture (bimalleolar type), Repair fracture of radius (bone)/ulna, Knee replacement, Laminectomy, Total joint reconstruction (arthroplasty), Spine surgery, Foot and ankle surgery, Lumbar spinal fusion, Carpal tunnel release, Repair of femoral shaft fracture, Repair of rotator cuff tendon, and Repair of ankle fracture (fibula).

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including Cat Scan, MRI arthrogram, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), x-ray, PET scan, Bone Scans, Hip Ultrasound, Gallium Scan, Medical Photography, and Spine Ultrasound.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Florida has 1,336 practicing orthopedic surgeons. Broken out by city, orthopedic surgery doctor density in Altamonte Springs is 7, in Atlantis is 4, in Aventura is 12, in Belleview is 1, in Boca Raton is 41, in Bonita Springs is 3, in Boynton Beach is 19, in Bradenton is 11, in Brooksville is 16, in Cape Coral is 16, in Clearwater is 31, in Clermont is 6, in Cocoa Beach is 3, in Coral Gables is 20, in Coral Springs is 7, in Crestview is 5, in Crystal River is 4, in Davenport is 2, in Davie is 5, in Daytona Beach is 16, in Delray Beach is 14, in Destin is 8, in Dunedin is 6, in Edgewater is 1, in Fort Lauderdale is 57, in Fort Myers is 33, in Fort Pierce is 8, in Fort Walton Beach is 14, in Gainesville is 52, in Gulf Breeze is 10, in Hialeah is 21, in Hollywood is 28, in Homestead is 6, in Inverness is 2, in Jacksonville is 104, in Jacksonville Beach is 7, in Jupiter is 17, in Kissimmee is 14, in Lady Lake is 5, in Lake City is 10, in Lake Mary is 8, in Lake Worth is 17, in Lakeland is 14, in Largo is 13, in Lauderdale Lakes is 9, in Leesburg is 10, in Lighthouse Point is 9, in Longwood is 8, in Marathon is 2, in Margate is 4, in Marianna is 1, in Melbourne is 24, in Miami is 124, in Miami Beach is 15, in Milton is 6, in Naples is 21, in New Port Richey is 16, in Niceville is 9, in North Miami is 2, in Ocala is 16, in Ocoee is 6, in Orange City is 10, in Orange Park is 11, in Orlando is 65, in Ormond Beach is 9, in Oviedo is 3, in Palatka is 6, in Palm Bay is 6, in Palm Beach Gardens is 21, in Palm Coast is 13, in Panama City is 17, in Pembroke Pines is 18, in Pensacola is 33, in Pinellas Park is 5, in Plant City is 3, in Plantation is 22, in Pompano Beach is 13, in Port Orange is 4, in Punta Gorda is 3, in Safety Harbor is 5, in Sanford is 4, in Sarasota is 34, in Sebastian is 5, in Sebring is 8, in Seminole is 3, in South Pasadena is 5, in Stuart is 9, in Sunrise is 1, in Surfside is 1, in Tallahassee is 22, in Tamarac is 12, in Tampa is 98, in Titusville is 7, in Venice is 7, in Vero Beach is 11, in West Palm Beach is 39, in Weston is 20, in Winter Haven is 9, in Winter Park is 16, and in Zephyrhills is 5.

Florida’s warm and humid subtropical climate makes it a winter destination for many. Population in 2000 was 15,982,378, according to census statistics. Tallahassee, located in the north panhandle area, is the state capital. Tourism is a major industry in Florida, with Cape Canaveral, Disney World, the Everglades National Park, Universal Studios, the Atlantic coast and the Gulf coast all destinations for visitors and residents. Year-round outdoor activities include camping, golf, scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing and boating.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Florida has a population of 17,789,864. Of this population, 3,975,071 are under the age of 18 and 2,978,335 are at or above the age of 65.