Menu
Close Search Opener

Orthopedic Research News

Caring for patients is the focus of our team of Orthopedic and Sports Medicine physicians, athletic trainers and therapists. We strive to return you to the demands of everyday life as quickly as possible, so you’re at your best for that Friday night game, pick-up tennis match or weekly walking group.

This focus extends to a robust research portfolio aimed at advancing best-practice and evidence-based techniques for preventing and treating injury and improving health outcomes. Some of these studies are highlighted below.

Research by our joint replacement, orthopedic and orthopedic trauma surgeons focuses on better understanding disease processes and developing treatments for the musculoskeletal system. At the center of this focus is examining novel techniques and strategies for knee, hip and shoulder function and musculoskeletal diseases like osteoporosis and arthritis.

In sports medicine, our team is leading a number of innovative research projects aimed at reducing the risk of overuse injury in high-demand youth athletes. This research incorporates using video analysis and new wearable technology and evaluating their potential for preventing ACL tears in soccer players and elbow injuries in youth baseball players. Our concussion research involving athletes at the high school, collegiate and professional levels is increasing.

We are also pioneering efforts using monitoring real-time clinical outcomes in patients undergoing treatment for sports medicine conditions. New clinical outcome scores are being electronically tracked to measure recovery response from treatments, both surgical and non-surgical. These efforts will help optimize treatment algorithms for patients with sports medicine injuries.

Our Herrick-Davis Motion Analysis Lab studies the dynamic function of human joints and mechanical factors associated with degenerative joint and soft-tissue diseases. We have ongoing studies focused on understanding how the treatment of rotator cuff tears affects long-term shoulder function, and the effects of surgical reconstruction techniques on knee and elbow function.

Recent Research

Space Travel and Your Joints
A novel Henry Ford Hospital study of mice aboard a Russian spaceflight may raise an intriguing question for the astronauts of tomorrow: Could traveling in space be bad for your joints? Researchers found early signs of cartilage breakdown in the mice, suggesting that the reduced biomechanical forces of spaceflight are at play on the musculoskeletal system.

Better Conditioning, Throwing Mechanics Key to Fewer Youth Pitching Elbow Injuries
Young baseball pitchers can reduce their risk for elbow injuries with better conditioning and throwing mechanics.

Once Waned from Use Years Ago, Mepivacaine Shows Promise for Knee Replacement Surgery
A numbing medicine largely abandoned decades ago for pain control during surgery could be making a comeback as an effective spinal anesthetic for today’s modern-day knee replacement.

Youth Pitchers: 5 Smart Tips for Reducing Your Risk of Injury
Steps can be taken by the baseball community and parents to prevent and reduce the risk of overuse injuries in youth pitchers.

Spring Training Alert: Core, Hip/Groin Injuries Prominent among Pitchers
The study, published in the February edition of the Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, found that core and hip/groin injuries in Major League Baseball pitchers account for 21 percent of all pitching injuries that required time on the disabled list.

Femoral Nerve Block in ACL Surgery May Cause Complications
A nerve injection commonly used for pain control during knee reconstruction surgery is associated with complications in high school and collegiate athletes.

Treatment Type Matters in Shoulder Injuries in NFL Players
Players in the National Football League who opted for surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder are at less risk of re-injury once they return to play, compared to those who don’t have surgery.

2nd Tommy John Surgery Linked to Performance, Decline, Shortened Career
Major League Baseball pitchers who underwent a second Tommy John surgery saw their performance decline and their career shortened.

Throwing Fastballs May Be Linked to Tommy Johns Surgery in MLB Pitchers
Contrary to conventional wisdom, Major League Baseball pitchers who throw a high percentage of fastballs may be at increased risk for Tommy John surgery.

Take the next step
Let us help you schedule an appointment.
Request an Appointment
Close

Schedule Appointment Online

** Check with your insurance carrier for coverage limitations.

If you can't find a date/time that works for you please call the provider’s office. Not all appointment types at all locations are available online.

Henry Ford Health System is committed to ensuring our Deaf or hard-of-hearing patients and visitors have equal access to all services. We provide the appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including qualified sign language interpreters, TTYs and other assistive listening devices, at no cost. To request assistance, call 313-916-1896 or email CommunicationAccess@hfhs.org.

Schedule Appointment for