What is the overarching term for treating conditions related to bones and muscles?

The term that encompasses the treatment of conditions related to bones and muscles is orthopedics. This medical specialty focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders. Orthopedic surgeons and specialists work with injuries or diseases of the skeleton and its attachments—muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves.

Rehabilitation medicine, while important, is more focused on the recovery process and functional improvement for patients who have experienced injury or disability rather than the specific treatment of bones and muscles. Rheumatology deals primarily with autoimmune conditions and diseases affecting the joints and surrounding tissues rather than bones and muscles per se. Dermatology is a specialty that focuses on conditions of the skin and does not pertain to bone and muscle conditions. Thus, orthopedics is the most accurate term capturing the full scope of treating bone and muscle-related conditions.