title: Biology and biomechanics.
abstract: Increased participation by the general population in athletic activities leads to increased trauma to bones, joint surfaces, and soft tissues. Management and treatment of these injuries has significantly improved over the past few decades. The application of knowledge gained from basic science research in biology and biomechanics has continuously contributed to that. Biological advances have been made in the field of gene therapy, cell therapy, and tissue engineering. Certainly, the greatest focus is bone and cartilage research that will lead to improved fracture repair in the traumatic injured population, as well as prevention of early osteoarthritic changes in the injured athletic population. In biomechanical research, contributions have been made to further understand kinematic behavior of joints that will lead to improved ligament reconstruction techniques and rehabilitation regimens. Various fixation techniques and several different ligament reconstruction techniques have been studied and validated. In the future, improved understanding of ligament healing, graft incorporation, and revascularization will lead to improved outcome of surgical reconstruction techniques in orthopaedic sports medicine. Exciting research has been performed over the past years and will be reviewed in this article.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Musahl
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehner
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Freddie H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000379:methods*