AI Tools for Orthopaedic Surgeons: Where to Begin

Orthopaedic practice generates a particular kind of writing load. Recovery instructions after joint replacement. Return-to-work letters for employers who want specifics. Explanations of MRI findings for patients who have never seen a radiology report. Physical therapy referrals that need to be precise enough to guide someone who was not in the room.

AI tools will not change how you operate or how you think about a case. What they can do is reduce the time between clinic and correspondence.

Here are three things orthopaedic surgeons use AI tools for each week.

Drafting post-operative recovery instructions. After a total knee replacement, patients need clear written guidance on weight-bearing, wound care, physiotherapy milestones, and what symptoms should bring them back early. An AI tool can draft a structured set of instructions in under two minutes. You check the clinical content against your surgical protocol, adjust anything that does not match, and hand it to the patient.

Explaining imaging findings. "There is a partial thickness tear of the supraspinatus" means something very different to you than it does to your patient. An AI tool can turn a radiology summary — anonymised — into a plain-language explanation that a patient can read at home and share with their family.

Writing return-to-sport and return-to-work letters. These letters need to be specific. They need to explain what the patient can and cannot do, and why. An AI tool can draft the structure and language from your clinical notes, leaving you to review and personalise.

Where to start

Begin with the tutorial Drafting Your First Post-Operative Recovery Instructions. It walks you through a complete session with an AI tool, step by step.

Remember: AI is a helpful assistant, not a clinician. You make the call.