Trends in orthopedic sports medicine for the 21st century

Sports medicine research will undergo many advances during the 21st century. Computer technology will enable physicians to determine accurately whether a ligament, tendon, muscle, or joint is dysfunctional. It will then show, via 3-D graphics, various surgical and/or physical therapy treatment options. Cellular biology research in the field of bone morphogenic proteins, biologic scaffolding, and cartilage culturing may enable us to treat articular cartilage injuries by fabricating cartilage autografts derived from a patient's own cartilage cells. Cartilage and meniscal transplants will also be investigated to determine how they can be preserved, how they can be surgically implanted, and whether their long-term function is the same as that in the donor.