At Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we are focused on a better you. Our specialty-trained pediatric orthopedic doctors and staff are dedicated to providing specialized pediatric orthopedic care to patients in Truckee, Incline Village, and the surrounding communities.

Within the field of orthopedics, there is a medical subspecialty known as pediatric orthopedics. Pediatric orthopedic specialists who work within the field of pediatric orthopedics focus their medical practice on helping children with a range of musculoskeletal injuries, deformities, and joint problems.

Sometimes, the pediatric orthopedic issue is a sports-related injury, like when a child suffers a broken bone while playing a game. Other times, a child might have a deformity they were born with known as a congenital defect, such as clubfoot or scoliosis. Other children who see a pediatric orthopedic doctor might have a condition like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.

Depending on the child and their condition, the best treatment could be orthopedic surgery. However, a minimally invasive, nonsurgical treatment might also benefit the child. The pediatric orthopedist will work together with the family to find the best treatment plan for the child.

What your Doctor needs to know

When your child has an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon or doctor, you’ll have an opportunity to describe your child’s pain. Here are some issues you may be noticing that you’ll want to share with the doctor:

  • Difficulty sleeping due to joint pain
  • Foot points inward
  • Hip inflammation
  • One leg is shorter than the other
  • Pain after playing a sport 
  • Shoulders appear uneven
  • Spine looks curved or deformed
  • Trouble walking
  • Unable to bear weight on the leg

Common pediatric orthopedic issues

Your orthopedic specialist may diagnose your child with one of the following musculoskeletal issues:

  • Clubfoot: A congenital condition where the child is born with a foot that turns inward and downward. Can be treated with orthopedic surgery, but in some cases, surgery may not be needed.
  • Femoroacetabular impingement: Abnormal contact that occurs between the end of the thigh bone against the front of the hip socket.
  • Fracture: Sometimes fractures, or broken bones, require a surgical procedure. However, at other times a nonsurgical procedure, like immobilizing the broken bone using a brace, is all that is needed.
  • Hip dysplasia (acetabular dysplasia): When a hip socket is too shallow and won’t fully cover the ball of the femur (hip). This can cause pain and walking issues. Orthopedic care options include bracing; however, surgery may be needed in some cases.
  • Osgood-Schlatter disease: A type of knee pain that causes inflammation where the kneecap attaches to the shin bone. Can be sports-related or due to a growth spurt.
  • Scoliosis: A deformity of the spine. The spine has a C- or S-shaped appearance.

Once your child is diagnosed, your pediatric orthopedist will first consider all nonsurgical treatment options, such as physical therapy, a type of medicine, or bracing, before recommending surgery. However, if these treatments are ineffective, they will explain why and then tell you and your child about the type of surgery they believe will be best. If surgery is required, our surgeons have extensive training in the latest pediatric surgical procedures.

When your child has musculoskeletal pain, it can take a toll not only on your child but your entire family. Our pediatric orthopedic specialists are not only medical experts, but they’re also knowledgeable professionals who want to do more than just treat your child’s pain; they offer family-centered orthopedic care that helps move your child and family towards a better quality of life. To schedule an appointment, call (530) 587-7461 or make an appointment request .

Exceptional care begins at Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

At Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, our team of dedicated orthopedic experts is here for you. As specialty-trained and knowledgeable pediatric orthopedic doctors and surgeons, Dr. Jeffrey Dodd, Dr. Jonathan Hagen, Dr. Michael Jernick, Dr. Andrew Ringnes, and Dr. Nina Winans are backed by the latest state-of-the-art technology and have extensive experience to bring your child the very best in orthopedic care. Our pediatric orthopedic doctors have the surgical and nonsurgical expertise your child needs to reach their goals.

If your child has an orthopedic injury or condition, call (530) 587-7461 to schedule an appointment with one of our expert pediatric orthopedic doctors or surgeons or make an appointment request. We offer three convenient locations in Truckee, California, and Incline Village, Nevada: Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Tahoe Forest Sports Medicine & Therapy Services, and the Incline Village Community Hospital.