Orthopaedics is the field of medicine that deals with the locomotor system and its pathologies. It is a hyperspecialist branch of surgery. Orthopaedics and Traumatology (abbreviated to “orthopaedists”) physicians specialise in the diagnosis and surgical and non-surgical treatment of problems of the locomotor system. It includes: bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves. The field has necessarily been expanded to include soft tissue treatment – closely linked to trauma – and the term orthoplastic surgeon has been coined to describe practitioners. This specialisation has resulted from scientific evidence that early reconstructive work leads to a better outcome for patients.

In other words, the surgeon specialising in Orthopaedics and Traumatology must have theoretical knowledge and practical-professional skills in both the medical and surgical treatment (corrective-conservative, reconstructive and replacement) of locomotor apparatus disorders in children and adults, with specific expertise in functional and instrumental semeiotics, clinical methodology and therapy in Orthopaedics, Hand Surgery and Traumatology, including Sports Traumatology, as well as in the relevant oncological pathologies.