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. New York has 1,425 practicing orthopedic surgeons. Broken out by city, orthopedic surgery doctor density in Albany is 34, in Amsterdam is 2, in Astoria is 15, in Auburn is 7, in Batavia is 5, in Binghamton is 10, in Bohemia is 7, in Brockport is 6, in Buffalo is 39, in Canandaigua is 6, in Cicero is 2, in Clifton Springs is 2, in Corning is 5, in Cortland is 5, in Cortlandt Manor is 3, in Dobbs Ferry is 1, in Dunkirk is 3, in East Greenbush is 8, in East Hampton is 1, in East Northport is 1, in Elmhurst is 18, in Elmira is 3, in Far Rockaway is 8, in Ferndale is 5, in Fishkill is 19, in Forest Hills is 12, in Fulton is 1, in Garden City is 6, in Geneva is 4, in Glen Cove is 9, in Gloversville is 3, in Goshen is 10, in Gouverneur is 2, in Hartsdale is 2, in Hauppauge is 8, in Herkimer is 3, in Hicksville is 10, in Hornell is 3, in Howard Beach is 3, in Hudson is 4, in Huntington Station is 3, in Inwood is 1, in Ithaca is 6, in Katonah is 8, in Kingston is 13, in Lake Success is 4, in Lockport is 4, in Long Beach is 7, in Malta is 1, in Malverne is 1, in Manlius is 11, in Maspeth is 1, in Mechanicville is 1, in Melville is 2, in Mount Morris is 1, in Mount Vernon is 2, in New City is 4, in New Rochelle is 10, in New York is 399, in Newburgh is 12, in Niagara Falls is 3, in North Tonawanda is 2, in Norwich is 6, in Nyack is 2, in Ogdensburg is 2, in Olean is 3, in Oneida is 2, in Oneonta is 8, in Ossining is 2, in Oswego is 2, in Plattsburgh is 5, in Port Jefferson Station is 2, in Port Jervis is 6, in Poughkeepsie is 19, in Queensbury is 12, in Rego Park is 7, in Rensselaer is 5, in Richmond Hill is 10, in Rochester is 60, in Rome is 7, in Rye is 4, in Saratoga Springs is 4, in Scarsdale is 4, in Schenectady is 6, in Slingerlands is 1, in Southampton is 8, in Spring Valley is 1, in Staten Island is 26, in Stony Point is 4, in Syracuse is 54, in Tonawanda is 1, in Troy is 13, in Utica is 8, in Valhalla is 4, in Watertown is 12, in Wellsville is 2, in Westfield is 1, in White Plains is 27, in Woodside is 1, and in Yonkers is 17.

New York City has a wealth of opportunities for visitors and residents. Thousands of people each year see a Broadway show or visit Central Park, Coney Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Times Square, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Population of New York State is 19,254,630, but the population of New York City alone is 8,104,079. Located in upstate New York, Albany is capital of New York State. Niagara Falls, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the battlefields of Saratoga all offer outdoor activities. Hike, bicycle, or drive through the Adirondack or Catskill Mountains, or visit a winery in the Finger Lakes area.

According to 2005 Census estimates, New York has a population of 19,254,630. Of this population, 4,432,103 are under the age of 18 and 2,499,192 are at or above the age of 65.