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
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.
