Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at MHRI
Technology in orthopedics is rapidly changing and the clinical practice of orthopedic surgery has advanced due to these innovations. The orthopedic and sports medicine research program at MedStar Health is closely aligned with its world-class clinical programs, where there is close collaboration between orthopedic surgeons, research fellows, and engineers. Surgical training and teaching laboratories are provided in a one-on-one setting. Multidisciplinary research efforts focus on areas of degenerative, deformity, traumatic, and congenital pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. In addition, investigators within this program have conducted collaborative research in conjunction with the National Football Leagues (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MLB), and U.S. National Lacrosse program, among others. In addition, MedStar Health proud to be the medical care provider for professional sports teams in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., area, including the Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Capitals, and Washington Mystics. View the full list of athletic team affiliations for MedStar Health here.
Research topics
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3-D printing
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Biomechanical testing
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Concussion
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Histology
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Injury control
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In-vivo biological modeling
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Orthopedic clinical trials
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Pre-participation exams and clinical screening
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Protective athletic equipment
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Radiography
Publications
The MedStar Health orthopaedic surgery faculty are active in research. Their work has been published in the leading orthopaedic journals including Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Current Orthopaedics and Related Research (CORR), Arthroscopy, American Journal of Sports Medicine, Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, Foot and Ankle International, Spine, and Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS). View a list of publications from 2021-2022 here.
Resources
Researchers in orthopedic and sports medicine at MedStar Health have access to several labs to conduct their research. Our researchers work closely with our residents and fellows to conduct research as part of their graduate medical education.
Sports medicine and concussion
The orthopedic and sports health research division of MedStar sports medicine conducts clinical research that enhances patient outcomes and improves sports safety by performing innovative research in orthopedics and sports medicine. Investigations focus on clinical research in the areas of injury prevention and control, injury epidemiology, biomechanics, rehabilitation, and kinesiology for the purpose of improving physical performance, reducing the risk of injury in sports and exercise, clinical drug trials, and sports equipment evaluation.
Investigators within the sports medicine and concussion program have conducted numerous collaborative research which includes:
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Trends in concussion incidence in high school sports
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The prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among active professional (NFL) football players
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The prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among retired professional (NFL) football players
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The epidemiology of mild traumatic brain injury in boys' and girls' high school lacrosse players
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A study of head, face, and eye injuries in scholastic and collegiate lacrosse
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A descriptive epidemiology of youth baseball injuries
Surgical Technique And Technology Laboratory (STAT Lab)
The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital has a Surgical Technique and Technology (STAT) Laboratory. Totaling 5,000 square feet with a 2,500 square foot surgical skills training area, the STAT Lab can accommodate training needs for a wide array of surgical sub-specialties. The conference room and lab area have interactive audio/visual connections to two of MedStar Union Memorial Hospital’s OR suites. The STAT lab provides an ideal environment for training in innovative surgical techniques. It also includes a biomechanics research facility. For more information contact Pooyan.Abbasi@medstar.net.
Biomechanics lab
The Biomechanical Research Laboratory, housed within the Surgical Techniques And Technology (STAT) Laboratory, is a state-of-the-art laboratory that offers multi-station facilities for surgical techniques training and separate areas dedicated to biomechanical research studies. A total of 5,000 square feet of well-equipped research space is dedicated to orthopedic research and surgical skills training. This facility supports resident and fellow projects, company sponsored grants, and NIH and foundation-funded research.
Microsurgery lab
The microsurgery laboratory is available for training in microsurgical procedures. The facility contains three dissecting microscopes and a full complement of related microsurgical instruments. In-depth training courses are available on a wide array of microsurgical neurovascular models. For more information contact Sione.Fanua@medstar.net.
Musculoskeletal Education and Research Institute
MedStar Health and MedStar Union Memorial have recently completed a $1 million state-of-the-art Musculoskeletal Education and Research Institute at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital. Directed by Bryan Cunningham, PhD, this facility houses a 6 degree of freedom simulator which can mimic natural joint and spine kinematics in order to test orthopedic implants and novel therapies.
Additional information
If you would like to learn more about MedStar’s researchers and scientists, please visit our Principal Investigator search portal.