Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Research

Sanford Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Research is a multidisciplinary group of investigators focused on conducting research and developing innovative tools to more effectively care for our patients and improve their well-being.

Our diverse team of investigators includes:

• Physicians
• Scientists
• Engineers
• Physical therapists
• Athletic trainers
• Sports performance specialists, including strength coaches, mental performance coaches, exercise science specialists, sports dietitians and skills coaches

Globally, orthopedic conditions and traumatic injuries affect hundreds of millions of people and cost billions to treat. We believe research is an essential component of the comprehensive care offered at Sanford Health. Through research, we can provide cutting-edge treatment options, advance our knowledge and understanding of orthopedic conditions, make sure that new treatment options are safe and effective, and develop new tools to treat musculoskeletal diseases and trauma.

Our research benefits:

• Patients and families. Patients and their families benefit from the innovative tools and treatment options we can provide.
• Partners and communities. We collaborate with many partners, working together on solutions to improve the health and well-being of our communities.
• Physicians and the medical community. Advances in technology and understanding help physicians at Sanford Health and across the country make informed decisions about new treatment methods and tools.
• Educators, students and future clinicians. Sanford Health is a teaching institution. Our educational programs are training future clinicians and scientists through residencies, medical and graduate school programs, undergraduate internships and high school shadowing. We offer residencies in orthopedic surgery, podiatry, orthopedic physical therapy and orthotics and prosthetics. Additionally, we offer graduate training programs in biomedical and mechanical engineering and kinesiology through partnerships with local and regional universities.

Our comprehensive research program spans the breadth of conditions and injuries seen by our orthopedics and sports medicine clinicians. Some of our research focus areas include:

• ACL injury risk factors and return-to-play decision-making
• Orthobiologic treatments for osteoarthritis
• 3D printing applications
• Concussion and brain health
• Biomechanical engineering, including motion analysis, computational modeling and material testing
• Sports performance and injury biomechanics

We also focus on orthopedic clinical outcomes research in:

• Sports medicine
• Orthopedic trauma
• Pediatric orthopedics
• Hand surgery
• Joint replacement

We follow rigorous safety guidelines in our research and work closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on our clinical research endeavors and orthobiologics work.

We are physician-driven and strive to do research that will advance the standard of care for our patients

Our research benefits:

• Patients and families. Our team can quickly and collaboratively focus on issues relevant to patients.
• Partners and communities. We have the advantage of working within a large organization and serving multiple, diverse communities. That means our community partners benefit from research based on large datasets that can be quickly implemented for the patients we serve.
• Physicians and the larger medical community. The pooling of resources allows for faster research to help physicians make informed decisions about better treatments.
• Teachers, students and future physicians. Sanford Research is a teaching institution. Our clinical residencies are training and educating the medical community of tomorrow. We offer residencies in orthopedic surgery, podiatry, orthopedic physical therapy, and orthotics and prosthetics.

You can participate in an orthopedic clinical trial by simply enrolling. If you’re eligible, you’ll help researchers find better ways to treat orthopedic conditions. You’ll contribute to medical research, and you could be the first to receive a revolutionary treatment.

Talk to your physician to learn more.