Conservative or operative

Disorders of the musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, ligaments, and joints) range from sprains and strains to fractures and severe joint damage. These conditions can be treated conservatively or surgically.

Conservative treatment

A conservative treatment is a non-surgical intervention, i.e. without an operation. Examples include physiotherapy, painkillers, braces, exercise therapy and shockwave therapy. These treatments aim to reduce pain and restore the function of injured muscles, bones and joints.

An example of a conservative treatment is physiotherapy for a patient with a sprained ankle. The physiotherapist can use different exercises and techniques to reduce pain and swelling and to strengthen the ankle again.

Operative treatment

Operative treatments are surgical procedures such as repairing a broken bone, replacing an affected joint with an artificial joint, or repairing torn ligaments. These treatments are usually only performed if conservative treatments have no (further) effect or if there are severe (acute) problems, for example after an accident.

An example of an operative procedure is a knee replacement for a patient with severe knee osteoarthritis. The orthopaedic surgeon will remove the affected parts of the knee and replace them with an artificial joint to restore the function of the knee and reduce pain.