Aims. The number of females within the speciality of trauma and orthopaedics (T&O) is increasing. The aim of this study was to identify: 1) current attitudes and behaviours of UK female T&O surgeons towards pregnancy; 2) any barriers faced towards pregnancy with a career in T&O surgery; and 3) areas for improvement. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study using an anonymous 13-section web-based survey distributed to female-identifying T&O trainees, speciality and associate specialist surgeons (SASs) and locally employed doctors (LEDs), fellows, and consultants in the UK. Demographic data was collected as well as closed and open questions with adaptive answering relating to attitudes towards childbearing and experiences of fertility and complications associated with pregnancy. A descriptive data analysis was carried out. Results. A total of 226 UK female T&O surgeons completed the survey. All regions of the UK were represented. Overall, 99/226 (44%) of respondents had at least one child, while 21/226 (9.3%) did not want children. Median age at first child was 33 years (interquartile range 32 to 36). Two-thirds (149/226; 66%) of respondents delayed childbearing due to a career in T&O and 140/226 (69%) of respondents had experienced bias from colleagues directed at female T&O surgeons having children during training. Nearly 24/121 (20%) of respondents required fertility assistance, 35/121 (28.9%) had experienced a miscarriage, and 53/121 (43.8%) had experienced obstetric complications. Conclusion. A large proportion of female T&O surgeons have and want children. T&O surgeons in the UK delay childbearing, have experienced bias and have high rates of infertility and obstetric complications. The information from this study will support female T&O surgeons with decision making and assist employers with workforce planning. Further steps are necessary in order to support female T&O surgeons having families. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(12):970–979

Australian Football (AF) is a popular sport in Australia, with females now representing one-third of participants. Despite this, the injury profiles of females versus males in largely unknown. The current study investigated fractures, dislocations and tendon ruptures in females versus males presenting to emergency departments (ED) with an AF injury. All patients, regardless of age, presenting to one of 10 EDs in Victoria, Australia, with an AF injury were included. Data were prospectively collected over a 10-month period, coinciding with a complete AF season. Data were extracted from patient medical records regarding injury-type, body-part injured and treatments required. Female and male data were compared with chi-squared tests. Of the 1635 patients presenting with an AF injury, 595 (36.0%) had a fracture, dislocation or tendon rupture, of whom 85 (14.3%) were female and the average age was 20.5 years (SD 8.0). Fractures accounted for most injuries (n=478, 80.3% of patients had a fracture), followed by dislocations (n=118, 19.8%) and tendon ruptures (n=14, 2.4%). Upper limb fractures were more common than lower limb fractures (71.1% v 11.5% of fractures). Females were more likely to fracture their hands or fingers than males (45.7% v 34.3%). Males were more likely to fracture ribs (5.4% v 0%). Most fractures (91.2%) were managed in the ED, with the remainder being admitted for surgery (GAMP/ORIF). Males were more likely to be admitted for surgery than females (11.2% v 5.9%). Regarding dislocations (n=118), females were more likely to dislocate the patella (36.8% v 8.1% of dislocations). Only males sustained a tendon rupture (n=14): finger extensor or flexor (57.1%), achilles tendon (28.6%) and patella tendon (14.3%). Orthopaedic AF injuries are common presentations to EDs in Victoria, though few require specialist orthopaedic intervention. Injury profiles differed between genders suggesting that gender specific injury prevention and management might be required

Orthopaedics has been left behind in the worldwide drive towards diversity and inclusion. In the UK, only 7% of orthopaedic consultants are female. There is growing evidence that diversity increases innovation as well as patient outcomes. This paper has reviewed the literature to identify some of the common issues affecting female surgeons in orthopaedics, and ways in which we can address them: there is a wealth of evidence documenting the differences in the journey of men and women towards a consultant role. We also look at lessons learned from research in the business sector and the military. The ‘Hidden Curriculum’ is out of date and needs to enter the 21st century: microaggressions in the workplace must be challenged; we need to consider more flexible training options and support trainees who wish to become pregnant; mentors, both male and female, are imperative to provide support for trainees. The world has changed, and we need to consider how we can improve diversity to stay relevant and effective. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2-10:893–899

The musculoskeletal (MSK) profiles of water polo players and other overhead athletes has been shown to relate to injury and throwing performance (TP). There have been no robust studies conducted on the MSK profiles and the variables affecting TP amongst female, adolescent, elite water polo players. A prospective quantitative cohort design was conducted amongst eighty-three female adolescent, elite water polo players (range 14–19 years). All participants filled out the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic questionnaire, followed by a battery of screening tests aimed to identify possible MSK factors affecting TP. Pain provocation tests, range of motion (ROM), upward scapula rotation (USR), strength and pectoralis minor length measurements were all included. Participants also performed throwing speed (TS) and throwing accuracy (TA) tests. All the data collected were grouped together and analysed using SPSS 28.0. The condition for statistical significance was set as p <0.05. Multi-collinearity was tested for among variables to find out inter-variable correlations. Finally, a multiple regression analysis was performed. The mean KJOC score was 82.55 ± 14.96. 26.5% tested positive for at least one of the impingement tests. The MSK profile revealed decreased internal rotation ROM, increased external rotation ROM, a downwardly rotated scapula, weak external rotators, weak serratus anterior strength, strong lower trapezius and gluteus medius strength and a shorter pectoralis minor length all on the dominant side. Age, pectoralis minor length, upper trapezius and serratus anterior strength as well as upward scapula rotation were all positively correlated with TS, while sitting height, upper trapezius and serratus anterior strength and glenohumeral internal rotation ROM were positively correlated with TA. Multiple MSK parameters were found to be related to TS and TA in elite, adolescent water polo players

Introduction. Patellar resurfacing during Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is controversial. Problems unique to patellar resurfacing may be influenced by available patellar component design. These issues include; over-stuffing (the creation of a composite patellar-prosthesis thickness greater than the native patella) that may contribute to reduced range of motion; and over-resection of the native patellar bone that may contribute to post-operative fracture. Prosthesis design may play a role in contributing to these problems. Component diameter and thickness are quite variable from one manufacturer to another and little information has been previously published about optimal component dimensions. This anatomic study was performed to define the native patellar anatomy of patients undergoing TKA, in order to guide future component design. Methods. This retrospective, IRB approved study reviewed 797 Caucasian knees that underwent primary TKA by a single surgeon. Data recorded for each patient included: gender; patellar thickness before and after resurfacing, and the size of the component that provided the greatest patellar coverage without any overhang. The residual patellar bone thickness after resection was also calculated. Results. Mean (SD) native patellar thickness was 25.24 mm (2.11) in males, versus 22.13 mm (1.89) in females (P = <0.001). 84 of 483 females (17 %) had a native patellar thickness less than or equal to 20 mm. Only 3 male patients had a native patellar thickness less than or equal to 20 mm (1%). 374 females (78%) could only accommodate a round patellar button less than or equal to 32 mm. Conclusions. These findings suggest that patellar component design can be improved for Caucasian female patients. Round components between 26 and 32 mm that measure no more than 7 mm thick would be required to avoid systematic over-stuffing or over-resection of the native patellar in female patients. Most contemporary knee systems do not meet these needs

Purpose. Stress fractures (SFs) are highly prevalent in female athletes, especially runners (1337%), and result in pain and lost training time. There are numerous risk factors for SFs in athletes; however, the role of bone quality in the etiology of SFs is currently unknown. Therefore, our primary objective was to examine whether there are characteristic differences in bone quality and bone strength in female athletes with lower limb SFs using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). A secondary objective was to compare muscle strength between SF subjects and controls. Method. Female athletes with (n=19) and without (n=19) lower limb SFs were recruited from the local community. All SFs were medically confirmed by a physician and subjects were assessed within 1–47 weeks (12.7 13.7) of diagnosis. Controls were age-, training volume- and sport-matched to SF athletes. Bone density and microarchitectural bone parameters such as cortical thickness and porosity, as well as trabecular thickness, separation and number of all subjects were assessed using HR-pQCT at two distal tibia scanning sites (distal, ultra-distal). Finite element (FE) analysis was employed to estimate bone strength and load sharing of cortical and trabecular bone from the HR-pQCT scans. Regional analysis was applied to the HR-pQCT scans to investigate site-specific bone differences between groups. Muscle torque was measured by a Biodex dynamometer as a surrogate of muscle strength. Independent sample t-tests and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used for statistical analyses (p < 0.05). Results. Significant differences and trends indicated compromised trabecular bone and slightly thicker cortices with fewer pores in SF subjects compared with controls. This was most pronounced in the posterior region of the distal tibia, which is the site of highest tensile stresses during running and a common SF site. FE analysis indicated significantly higher cortical loads (median 4.2% higher; p=0.03) in the distal tibia site (but not ultra-distal site) of SF subjects compared to controls. The SF group exhibited significantly reduced knee extension strength (median 18.3% lower; p=0.03) and a trend towards reduced plantarflexion (median 17.3% lower; p=0.24) and eversion strength (median 9.6% lower; p=0.49) compared to controls. Conclusion. This is the first study to compare bone microarchitectural quality and lower-limb muscle strength between female athletes with SFs and health controls. A reduced trabecular bone quality in SF subjects may result in an insufficient ability to absorb and distribute tibial loads. This, in turn, may lead to higher stresses in the cortex and a higher risk for SFs. Low muscle strength may increase SF risk by providing insufficient muscular support to counteract shear stresses associated with reaction forces during running. Further study is needed to determine whether a resistance-training program can improve bone quality and in turn, reduce SF risk

Combined anteversion angle of acetabular component and femeral neck is an important factor for total hip arthroplasty (THA) as it may affect impingement and dislocation. Previous studies have collected data mainly from direct measurements of bone morphology or manual measurements from 2D or 3D radiolographic images. The purpose of this study was to electronically measure the version angles in native acetabulum and femur in matured normal Caucasion population using a novel virtual bone database and analysis environment named SOMA™. 221 CT scans from a skeletally mature, normal Caucasian population with an age range of 30–95 years old. The population included 135 males and 86 females. CT data was converted to virtual bones with cortical and cancellous boundaries using custom CT analytical sofware. (SOMA™ V.3.2) Auxillary reference frames were constructed and measurements were performed within the SOMA™ design environment. Acetabular Anteversion (AA) angle as defined by Murray. 1. was measured. The acetabular rim plane was constructed by selecting 3 bony land marks from pubis, ilium and ischium. A vector through acetabular center point and normal to the rim plane defined the plane for the AA measurement. The AA was defined as the angle of this plane relative to the frontal (Coronal) plane of the pelvis. The Femoral Neck Anteversion (FNA) angle was measured from the neck axis plane to the frontal (Coronal) plane as defined by the posterior condyles. The neck axis plane was constructed to pass through femoral neck axis perpendicular to the transverse plane. The combined anteversion angle was computed as the summation of acetabular and femoral anteversion angles. Student's t tests were performed to compare gender difference with an assumed 95% confidence level. The mean AA angle for total population was 25.8°, SD=7.95°. The mean AA for male was 24.8°, SD=5.93° and for female was 27.3°, SD=7.14°. P=0.009. The mean FNA angle for total population was 14.3°, SD=6.52°. The mean FNA for male was 13.5°, SD=7.97° and for female was 15.5°, SD=7.80°. P=0.058. The mean combined anteversion angle for total population was 40.1°, SD=10.76°. The mean combined anteversion angle for male was 38.3° SD=10.39 ° and for female was 42.8° SD=10.83 °. P=.0002. The plot of AA as a function of FNA shows weak correlation for both male and female. (Figure 1) The frequency distribution is shown in Figure 2. The results showed the both AA, FNA and combined anteversion angles were significantly smaller in male population than that in female population. The FNA angle of the cementless femoral stem can be smaller than with the natural femur, therefore a higher AA or higher posterior build up may be required for the acetabular component for optimal function of a THA

Introduction. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of our series of female patients treated with <48 mm MOMHR devices at a minimum follow-up of 5 years, to understand which is the most important aspects affecting the results and to define if the metal ions dosage has to be indicated as a routinely follow-up. Methods. This is a retrospective clinical study; the cohort included 198 consecutive MOMHR implanted in 181 female patients (17 bilateral procedures). All operations were performed between 2002 and 2011. All operations were performed by the senior surgeon. Indications to MOMHR included primary or secondary osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis and avascular necrosis. Contraindications included poor proximal femoral bone stock (T-score<−2.5sd in BMD of the femoral neck) or severely distorted hip anatomy. All patients were advised to underwent clinical and radiological review with the operating surgeon at 5 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively and then every subsequent 2 years.182 patients answered to our phone calls; 4 patients died (one of them was operated bilaterally) for causes not related to the study, and in 11 cases the phone number was expired. The minimum follow-up was 5.0 years (mean 7.5, maximum 13.2, sd 0.11). Results. Fourteen devices were revised (7%) in 14 patients: 2 of them were operated bilaterally and the controlateral implant is still fine; thus, the Kaplan-Meier survival rate with revision for any reason as the end point was 92.7% at 13 years (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9 to 1.0). Revisions data are resumed in table 2. Main OHS was 44 points (4–48, sd 7); no statistical relations were found about any aspect about relation between OHS and metal ions dosage (eg Chi Square Analysis p-value = 0.147>0,05 for Score and CR). Metal ions dosage was performed in only 2 cases before and after the revision (14%); in one case, the Cr dosage was 20 µg/L before and 8 µg/L after surgery; in the other case, the Cr dosage was 100 µg/L before and 10 µg/L after surgery, and the Co dosage was 70 µg/L before and 0.2 µg/L after surgery. Metal ions dosage was performed in 64 cases of the survived implants (35%). Main Cr dosage was 1.50 µg/L (0.09–7.00, sd 1.70) and main Co dosage was 1.30 µg/L (0.09–9.00, sd 1.60), at a main follow-up from surgery of 5.7 years (0.2–11.0, sd 3.1), in 14 different laboratories. No statistical relation were found between clinical outcomes and metal ions increase. Conclusions. MOMHR is a good choice for treating severe hip arthritis also in female patients with <48 mm devices. The results are affected especially by surgical technique and indications. The metal ions dosage has to be performed every year for the first two years and then at a larger follow-up. We believe that additional imaging, such as CT scanning to measure anteversion may better identify the ideal candidate, and specific training with largely experienced surgeons would be mandatory; the metal ions dosage would be used as a monitor of failures

Background. In large diameter hip arthroplasty, the femoral head size and shape have to be optimised to avoid neck on socket impingement if the head is too small, or psoas tendonopathy if the head is too large, overhanging the normal head neck junction in the sagittal plane. Currently there is no published guideline to help the surgeon select an optimal size femoral head. Instead, the novice surgeon may inadvertently oversize the femoral component through fear of notching the femoral neck—causing psoas impingement, especially in female patients. We sought to provide anatomically based advice for surgeons to optimise both the position of the femoral head and the head neck ratio. Materials and Methods. 100 hips were reviewed. Fifty radiographically normal hips in elderly patients with fractures of the contralateral side and 50 hips from patients whose contralateral side was arthritic secondary, either to Cam or pincer type impingement, or DDH. The head neck ratios were calculated using two methods: the plain AP radiographs were measured on PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) and CT scans obtained as part of the work up to hip surgery were measured in validation. The head neck ratio was calculated by dividing the diameter of the widest point across the femoral head by the narrowest part across the femoral neck. The HNR of 39 patients who attended a painful MOM clinic were also reviewed. Results. The normal mean HNR is 1.40 (min 1.22, max 1.58). Hips contralateral to a CAM type deformity have smaller HNRs (mean 1.30, min 1.23, max 1.41), while those on the other side of a DDH are larger, (mean 1.47, min 1.40, max1.53). In our painful MOM group only seven of these patients (18%) had a HNR within 1.45-1.5, and only 13 (33%) had a HNR between 1.4-1.5. Conclusions. There appears to be an optimal head neck ratio in the normal hip that is sufficient for normal function as defined by the absence of any arthritic change in either hip by the seventh decade. We recommend that a HNR of 1.45-1.5 (taking into consideration cartilage thickness) should be used to calculate the optimal femoral head size. This algorithm can be applied when resurfacing hips or when using large diameter MOM arthroplasty. Although the causes for a painful big ball arthroplasty may be multifactorial, there does appear to be a correlation between a painful joint and inappropriate HNR

Objective. Tibia vara seen in Japanese patients reportedly influences the tibial component alignment when performing TKA. However, it is unclear whether tibia vara affects the component position and size selection. We therefore determined (1) the amount of medial tibial bow, (2) whether the tibia vara influences the aspect ratio of the tibial resected surface in aligning the tibial component with the tibial shaft axis (TSA), and (3) whether currently available tibial components fit the shapes of resected proximal tibias in terms of aspect ratio. Material and Methods. The study was performed using CT data from 90 lower limbs in 74 Japanese female patients with primary varus knee OA, scheduled for primary TKAs between January 2010 and March 2012. We measured the tibia vara angle (TVA; the angle between the TSA and the tibial mechanical axis), proximal varus angle (PVA; angle between the TSA and the line connecting the center of the tibial eminence and the center of the proximal 1/3 of the tibia) using three-dimensional preoperative planning software [Fig.1]. Then the mediolateral and middle AP dimensions of the resected surface when the tibial component was set so that its center aligned with the TSA was measured. We determined the correlations of the aspect ratio (the ML dimension divided by the AP dimension) of the resected surface with TVA or PVA and compared the aspect ratios to those of five prosthesis designs. Results. The mean TVA and PVA were 0.6° and 2.0°, respectively. The aspect ratio negatively correlated with both TVA and PVA (r = −0.53 and −0.55, respectively) [Fig. 2, 3]. The mean aspect ratio of the resected surface was 1.48 but gradually decreased with increasing AP dimension, whereas four of the five prostheses had a constant aspect ratio. Conclusions. The aspect ratio of resected tibial surface was inversely correlated to the degree of tibia vara, and currently available prosthesis designs do not fit well to the resected surface in terms of aspect ratio

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the angles made by the reference axes on the computerized tomography (CT) images and comparison of the knee alignment between healthy young adults and patients who is scheduled to have total knee arthroplasty.

Middle-aged female patients with painful hip arthritis often have high expectations, are physically active and are more likely to have underlying anatomical abnormalities such as DDH. Large hard bearing total hip replacement (THR) offer the possibilities of reduced wear and risk of dislocation. The patients in this series all had surgery in the private sector and were operated on by one surgeon. They were selected for a hard bearing THR on the basis of age, health and expectations. Large bearing metal-on-metal (MOM) THR became possible in 2003, with ceramic-on-ceramic (COC) bearings used in patients with allergies to metal. There were 90 patients in the MOM group and 92 patients in the COC group. The mean age was 60 and the commonest diagnosis was osteoarthritis in both groups. In the MOM group there were 8 complications: 2 deep infections, 1 death from PE, and 5 severe soft tissue reactions (pseudotumour). In the COC group there were 2 complications: 1 deep infection and 1 patient with intermittent squeaking. The patients in this study were closely matched in terms of age and lifestyles. All of them were operated on by a single high volume specialist hip surgeon. The results suggest a high risk of failure in female patients who have had MOM THR. Most of the failures had described discomfort in the hip for many months before revision surgery. All of the failures were associated with a cemented CPT stem. The surgeon no longer uses MOM bearings in female patients because of the unacceptably high failure rate compared to COC bearings. COC bearings appear to offer the active middle-aged female patient consistently good results and a low risk of failure at least in the short to medium term

Background. Post-market surveillance is necessary to ensure the safety and efficacy of newly introduced technologies and implants. The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (Smith and Nephew, Inc., Memphis, TN) was the first hip resurfacing implant approved for use by the US FDA in May 2006. A prospective, multi-center postmarket approval study has been in progress to assess safety and efficacy of this implant. Methods. Patients meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled at five sites. Clinical evaluation and radiographs were obtained at 3 months and 1 year, and annually thereafter for a total of 10 years. Blood metal ion levels were measured at 1 year and 4 years. Results. 265 patients have been enrolled thus far with 193 males; 28 patients have had bilateral procedures. The average age of the patients is 51.3 years (range 22–72). There have been 7 revisions (2.4%) in the entire cohort to date: 2 were for femoral neck fracture, 2 were for acetabular loosening; 1 was for femoral head osteonecrosis; 1 was revised on the day of surgery for errant implant placement; and 1 was for pseudotumor. K-M survival curves for the cohort are 97.8% at 5 years (Figure 1); men had 99% survival, while women had 94.5%. Whole blood metal ion analysis revealed a median cobalt and chromium levels of 1.5 ppb and 1.7 ppb at 1 year. There was a significant difference between the metal levels in men and women, however women also had smaller component sizes. Furthermore, a significantly higher percentage of female patients had outlier metal ion levels > 7 ppb. Conclusions. This hip resurfacing device has demonstrated safety and efficacy comparable to THR, in this multicenter postmarket approval study. A gender difference in the survival rate and median metal ion levels does exist; therefore, it is important to continue close monitoring of this cohort to determine longer term results

Aims. Our primary aim was to establish the proportion of female orthopaedic consultants who perform arthroplasty via cases submitted to the National Joint Registry (NJR), which covers England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Guernsey. Secondary aims included comparing time since specialist registration, private practice participation, and number of hospitals worked in between male and female surgeons. Methods. Publicly available data from the NJR was extracted on the types of arthroplasty performed by each surgeon, and the number of procedures of each type undertaken. Each surgeon was cross-referenced with the General Medical Council (GMC) website, using GMC number to extract surgeon demographic data. These included sex, region of practice, and dates of full and specialist registration. Results. Of 2,895 surgeons contributing to the NJR in 2023, 102 (4%) were female. The highest proportions of female surgeons were among those who performed elbow (n = 25; 5%), shoulder (n = 24; 4%), and ankle (n = 8; 4%) arthroplasty. Hip (n = 66; 3%) and knee arthroplasty (n = 39; 2%) had the lowest female representation. Female surgeons had been practising for a median of 10.4 years since specialist registration compared to 13.7 years for males (p < 0.001). Northern Ireland was the region with the highest proportion of female arthroplasty surgeons (8%). A greater proportion of male surgeons worked in private practice (63% vs 24%; p < 0.001) and in multiple hospitals (74% vs 40%; p < 0.001). Conclusion. Only 4% of surgeons currently contributing cases to the NJR are female, with the highest proportion performing elbow arthroplasty (5%). Female orthopaedic surgeons in the NJR are earlier in their careers than male surgeons, and are less involved in private practice. There is a wide geographical variation in the proportion of female arthroplasty surgeons. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(8):637–643

Aims. The purpose of this survey study was to examine the demographic and lifestyle factors of women currently in orthopaedic surgery. Methods. An electronic survey was conducted of practising female orthopaedic surgeons based in the USA through both the Ruth Jackson Society and the online Facebook group “Women of Orthopaedics”. Results. The majority of surveyed female orthopaedic surgeons reported being married (76.4%; 285/373) and having children (67.6%; 252/373). In all, 66.5% (247/373) were collegiate athletes; 82.0% (306/373) reported having no female orthopaedic surgeon mentors in undergraduate and medical school. Their mean height is 65.8 inches and average weight is 147.3 lbs. Conclusion. The majority of female orthopaedic surgeons did not have female mentorship during their training. Additionally, biometrically, their build is similar to that of the average American woman. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(5):419–425

Aims. Global literature suggests that female surgical trainees have lower rates of independent operating (operative autonomy) than their male counterparts. The objective of this study was to identify any association between gender and lead/independent operating in speciality orthopaedic trainees within the UK national training programme. Methods. This was a retrospective case-control study using electronic surgical logbook data from 2009 to 2021 for 274 UK orthopaedic trainees. Total operative numbers and level of supervision were compared between male and female trainees, with correction for less than full-time training (LTFT), prior experience, and time out during training (OOP). The primary outcome was the percentage of cases undertaken as lead surgeon (supervised and unsupervised) by UK orthopaedic trainees by gender. Results. All participants gave permission for their data to be used. In total, 274 UK orthopaedic trainees submitted data (65% men (n = 177) and 33% women (n = 91)), with a total of 285,915 surgical procedures logged over 1,364 trainee-years. Males were lead surgeon (under supervision) on 3% more cases than females (61% (115,948/189,378) to 58% (50,285/86,375), respectively; p < 0.001), and independent operator (unsupervised) on 1% more cases. A similar trend of higher operative numbers in male trainees was seen for senior (ST6 to 8) trainees (+5% and +1%; p < 0.001), those with no time OOP (+6% and +8%; p < 0.001), and those with orthopaedic experience prior to orthopaedic specialty training (+7% and +3% for lead surgeon and independent operator, respectively; p < 0.001). The gender difference was less marked for those on LTFT training, those who took time OOP, and those with no prior orthopaedic experience. Conclusion. This study showed that males perform 3% more cases as the lead surgeon than females during UK orthopaedic training (p < 0.001). This may be due to differences in how cases are recorded, but must engender further research to ensure that all surgeons are treated equitably during their training. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(7):821–832

For all the research into arthroplasty, provision of total knee arthroplasty (TKR) services based on gender in the Australian context is yet to be explored. International literature points toward a heavily gender biased provision of TKA services, skewed away from female patients. This research has aimed to assess the current experience of Australian female patients and to explore better assessment techniques that could provide more equitable services. A retrospective cohort analysis has been conducted using pre-op PROMs data, where available, from the Australian National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR), between 7 August 2018 and 31 December 2021, including: EQ VAS Health; Oxford Knee Score; joint pain; and KOOS-12. Data was adjusted for age, ASA score, BMI, primary diagnosis, public vs private hospital, surgeon gender and years of practice (as estimated from years of registry data available). Of 1,001,231 procedures performed, 27,431 were able to be analysed (12,300 male and 15,131 female). Gender-based bias against female patients reached statistical significance across all PROM scores, according to the Kruskal-Wallis test of difference (p-value <0.0001). Males were more likely to undergo TKR than females, with odds ratios remaining statistically significant when adjusted for age, ASA score, BMI, primary diagnosis, and hospital type. Numbers were further analysed for surgeon years of recorded practice and surgeon gender with mixed results. This study found that women were less likely to undergo TKR despite worse scores on every pre-op PROM available, thus we demonstrate a statistically significant gender-based bias against female patients. More effort needs to be made to identify the base of this bias and find new ways to assess patients that can provide more equitable provision of healthcare

Conferences centered around surgery suffers from gender disparity with male faculty having a more dominant presence in meetings compared to female faculty. Orthopedic Surgery possibly suffers the most from this problem of all surgical specialties, and is reflective of a gender disparity in the field. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of “manels”, or male-only sessions, in eight major Orthopedic Surgery meetings hosted in 2021 and to quantify the differences in location of practice, academic position, years of practice, and research qualifications between male and female faculty. Eight Orthopedic conferences organized by major Orthopedic associations (AAOS, COA, OTA, EFORT, AAHKS, ORS, NASS, and AOSSM) from February 2021 to November 2021 were analyzed. Meeting information was retrieved from the conference agendas, and details of chairs and speakers were obtained from Linkedin, Doximity, CPSO, personal websites, and Web of Science. Primary outcomes included: one) percentage of male faculty in all included sessions and two) overall percentage of manels. Secondary outcomes included one) percentage of male speakers and chairs in all included sessions, two) overall percentage of male-chair and male-speaker only sessions. Comparisons for outcomes were made between conferences and session topics (adult reconstruction hip, adult reconstruction knee, practice management/rehabilitation, trauma, sports, general, pediatrics, upper extremity, musculoskeletal oncology, foot and ankle, spine, and miscellaneous). Mean number of sessions for male and female were compared after being stratified into quartiles based on publications, sum of times cited, and H-indexes. Data was analyzed with non-parametric analysis, chi-square tests, or independent samples t-tests using SPSS version 28.0.0.0 with a p-value of < 0 .05 being considered statistically significant. Of 193 included sessions, 121 (62.3%) were manels and the mean percentage of included faculty that was male was 88.9% Apart from the topics of practice management/rehabilitation and musculoskeletal oncology, male representation was very high. Additionally, most included conferences had an extremely high percentage of male representation apart from meetings hosted by the COA and ORS. Non-manel sessions had a greater mean number of chairs (p=0.006), speakers (p < 0 .001), and faculty (p < 0 .001) than manel sessions. Of 1080 total included faculty members, 960 (88.9%) were male. Male faculty were more likely to be Orthopedic surgeons than female faculty (p < 0 .001) while also more likely to hold academic rank as a professor. Mean number of sessions between male and female faculty within their respective quartiles of H-indexes, sum of times cited, and number of publications did not reach statistical significance. Mean years of practice between male and female faculty was also not significantly different. There is a high prevalence of manels and an overall lack of female representation in Orthopedic meetings. Orthopedic associations should aim to make efforts to increase gender equity in future meetings

This qualitative study aims to explore and highlight the experiences of trainees in the Orthopaedic Surgical Education Training (SET) program in New Zealand, with a focus on identifying gender-specific biases which may impact professional development. Orthopaedic SET trainees in New Zealand were invited to complete a qualitative, semi-structured questionnaire exploring their experiences in the Orthopaedic SET program. A broad range of topics were covered, addressing culture, belonging, learning styles and role modelling. Recurrent themes were identified using inductive methods. Analysis of questionnaire responses identified several key themes for women in the Orthopaedic SET program, compared to their male counterparts, including (1) role incredulity, (2) confidence vs. competence, (3) adaptation, (4) interdisciplinary relationships and (5) role modelling. Female participants described experiencing gender bias or discrimination by both patients and interdisciplinary colleagues at a higher rate than their male counterparts. The majority of female participants described feeling as competent as their male counterparts at the same SET level, however, identified that they do not typically exhibit the same confidence in their surgical abilities. Whilst similar numbers of female and male participants described experiencing barriers to career progression, female participants described having to adapt both physically and socially to overcome additional gender-specific barriers. Positive influences on training experience included role modelling and supportive relationships amongst trainee groups. This study highlighted gender-specific biases experienced by trainees in the Orthopaedic SET program in New Zealand. Further investigation is warranted to determine how these experiences affect professional development, and how they may be addressed to foster increased gender equity in the surgical profession. This will likely require system-level interventions to create meaningful and sustainable culture change

Introduction. Perception of ACL injury prevention programs amongst professional netball players and coaches has not been studied. We investigated (1) level of awareness and experience of ACL injury prevention programs; (2) use of ACL injury prevention programs; and (3) barriers to implementing ACL injury prevention program in netball. Methodology. Female netball players representing Welsh senior and under-21 teams and elite and amateur coaches were invited electronically to this web-based study between 1st May–31st July 2021. Information on ACL injury susceptibility and seriousness, knowledge, experience, and implementation of ACL injury prevention programs were ascertained. Results. Twenty-eight players (77.8%) and 29 coaches (13.2%) completed the questionnaire. Seventeen (60.7%) players and 15 (51.7%) coaches reported female athletes were at greater risk for sustaining ACL injuries. Over 90% of respondents identified netball as high-risk, whilst 89% of players and 76% of coaches reported these injuries to be preventable. Two (7.1%) players and 6 (20.7%) coaches utilised ACL injury prevention programs with lack of time and engagement from coaches and players identified. Majority of respondents indicated that their club has neither promoted, advocated nor demonstrated exercises for ACL injury prevention. Over 90% of respondents would utilise such programs if it minimised players risk with appropriate training and information. Conclusion. Study highlights limited knowledge of female athletes’ increased susceptibility of ACL injuries with lack of communication and education of ACL injury prevention programs between sporting associations, coaches and players. Results demonstrate willingness of players and coaches to implement ACL injury prevention programs in Welsh netball