What Kinds of Doctors Evaluate and Treat Knee Problems?

What Kinds of Doctors Evaluate and Treat Knee Problems?
After an examination by your primary care physician, he or
she may refer you to a rheumatologist, an orthopaedic surgeon,
or both. A rheumatologist specializes in nonsurgical
treatment of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. An
orthopaedic surgeon, or orthopaedist, specializes in nonsurgical
and surgical treatment of bones, joints, and soft tissues
such as ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
You may also be referred to a physiatrist. Specializing in
physical medicine and rehabilitation, physiatrists seek to
restore optimal function to people with injuries to the muscles,
bones, tissues, and nervous system.
Minor injuries or arthritis may be treated by an internist (a
doctor trained to diagnose and treat nonsurgical diseases)
or your primary care physician.