Wouldn’t you like to get some big-name sports medicine experts in a room and pick their brains? Now you can. From January 27-31, 2016 The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) will hold its 17th annual sports medicine course. The event, to be held in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, will feature small case-based groups that are led by some of the most esteemed sports medicine faculty in the U.S.
AAOS, AOSSM to Hold 17th Annual Sports Medicine Course

Brian J. Cole, M.D., section head of the Cartilage Research and Restoration Center at Rush University Medical Center at Rush in Chicago, is course director this year. Dr. Cole told OTW, “We are proud to present the latest innovations in sports medicine. Attendees will not only benefit from discussions on controversial issues, but their learning will be enhanced by back-and-forth dialogues and one-on-one faculty interaction. Along with the co-directors of the course, Drs. J.T. Tokish and Les Bisson, the agenda is replete with team physicians of virtually every professional and collegiate-level sport. It’s a great opportunity to bring patient cases and draw on the enormous expertise gathered at this event.”
Asked to describe a topic that will be covered at the event, Dr. Cole told OTW, “SLAP [superior labrum anterior to posterior] tears in throwers remain a considerable treatment challenge especially when there is overlap between classic labral pathology and pain due to biceps dysfunction. Separating out these two very different pain generators and recognizing how to treat them properly to most reliably get an athlete back to the mound is particularly difficult. Similarly, we will discuss patients with symptomatic articular cartilage defects of the knee who desire to return to sport. They also are a particular treatment challenge…so presenting real cases that consider the sport, the timing in their career, etc., will provide great case discussions.”
“We will cover the top trending sports medicine topics and do so in less traditional formats such as case-based discussions, small group breakout sessions and concise didactic interactions. We will also cover how to deliver cost effective care in the ambulatory setting and how to maximize the physician extender in the clinic and operating room setting. Other topics include primary care sports medicine issues that we all see, including concussions and performance-enhancing drugs. Faculty will also discuss how the aging athlete can best maintain form and function with proven nutritional methods as well as proper rehabilitation protocols.”
For those other medical staff members who may want to attend, Dr. Cole says, “We will be presenting practical, office-based decision making, not just the esoteric, but biologics that work. There will be an emphasis on current surgical techniques for knee ligament, elbow, and shoulder reconstruction. We have a full curriculum that includes the hip, foot/ankle, hand/wrist and primary care sports medicine.”
For more information, please visit: www.aaos.org/3243

Discussion
This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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