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. Kentucky has 317 practicing orthopedic surgeons. Broken out by city, orthopedic surgery doctor density in Ashland is 9, in Barbourville is 1, in Bardstown is 3, in Benton is 1, in Berea is 2, in Bowling Green is 9, in Cadiz is 2, in Campbellsville is 2, in Corbin is 5, in Crestview Hills is 9, in Crestwood is 1, in Cynthiana is 3, in Danville is 5, in Edgewood is 5, in Elizabethtown is 7, in Florence is 2, in Fort Campbell is 9, in Fort Knox is 4, in Fort Mitchell is 1, in Frankfort is 6, in Franklin is 2, in Fulton is 1, in Georgetown is 3, in Glasgow is 3, in Gracey is 1, in Greensburg is 2, in Greenville is 2, in Harlan is 2, in Harrodsburg is 1, in Hazard is 2, in Hebron is 1, in Henderson is 3, in Hopkinsville is 4, in Horse Cave is 1, in La Grange is 5, in Lagrange is 1, in Lebanon is 2, in Leitchfield is 1, in Lexington is 53, in London is 4, in Louisa is 1, in Louisville is 120, in Madisonville is 3, in Marion is 2, in Mayfield is 5, in Maysville is 2, in Middlesboro is 2, in Morehead is 4, in Mount Sterling is 4, in Murray is 3, in Owensboro is 11, in Paducah is 13, in Paintsville is 5, in Paris is 3, in Pikeville is 3, in Prestonsburg is 1, in Princeton is 1, in Richmond is 3, in Russell Springs is 1, in Russellville is 4, in Scottsville is 1, in Shelbyville is 6, in Shepherdsville is 1, in Somerset is 5, in South Williamson is 2, in Versailles is 1, and in Winchester is 8.

Kentucky is known for its thoroughbred horses, tobacco and bourbon, but there’s much more. The Kentucky parks system draw thousands of visitors each year for swimming, boating, hiking, biking, and picnicking. The capital city is Frankfort, and has many historic homes and sites to visit, including the Old Governor’s Mansion, the Capital City Museum, and the Liberty Hall Historic Site. Visitors can explore a cave in Mammoth Cave National Park, or when in Louisville, hear authentic bluegrass music. Famous people born in Kentucky are former president Abraham Lincoln, fighter Muhammad Ali, and actor Johnny Depp.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Kentucky has a population of 4,173,405. Of this population, 959,891 are under the age of 18 and 522,811 are at or above the age of 65.