Orthopedics, or more correctly, orthopaedics, is the medical specialty that pertains to the diagnosis and treatment of disorders, conditions, and injuries of the skeletal system and the muscles, joints, and ligaments associated with it. Orthopedics is a generally accepted spelling for the specialty, but orthopaedics is the correct medical spelling and accounts for why you can only find The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and not the other spelling. Medical professionals who specialize in orthopedics are called orthopaedists, but the layman’s term is orthopedic surgeon or orthopedic specialist. You might find an orthopedic surgeon in a private practice, group practice, or multi-specialty practice. Orthopedic surgeons treat a wide variety of conditions pertaining to the body. Arthritis, sports injuries, back pain, leg and foot pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome are all conditions that fall under the orthopedics specialty and are treated by orthopedic surgeons. Orthopedic surgeons are specially trained to deal with common conditions associated with the skeletal system and to perform surgical repair when necessary.