The fourth edition of the Essentials of Orthopedic Surgery is directed to students who are beginning their study of the musculoskeletal system. This would include medical students and residents interested in orthopedic surgery, physiatry, rheumatology, emergency medicine, family medicine, and general internal medicine. Each chapter has been updated to reflect current material and we have tried to keep to a standardized format as much as possible. Every topic is presented from a practical point of view.