From AI to prior authorization, here are nine key studies on orthopedic care in 2025.
1. An internal study of New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery’s Lifestyle Medicine Program found it was effective for elective orthopedic surgery patients.
2. A preclinical study from Hospital for Special Surgery found that earlier anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction can lead to lower immune cell activity, less inflammation and fewer joint changes associated with knee osteoarthritis.
3. While commercial insurers often use prior authorization as a way to control costs, it does the opposite for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. A study found that prior authorizations also led to lower preoperative functional outcome scores and significantly longer wait times before hip surgery.
4. Patients with metal joint replacements may have significantly higher concentrations of cobalt, chromium, titanium, niobium and zirconium in their blood and cerebrospinal fluid. The study compared 204 patients, including 118 women and 86 men with a median age of 69.4, with large joint replacements to control patients with no arthroplasty.
5. Patients who received preoperative counseling before ACL reconstruction used significantly fewer opioids after surgery without reporting more pain. The randomized clinical trial, published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, followed 121 patients ages 14 to 64 who underwent ACL surgery at the University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute between May 2021 and November 2022. Patients counseled to take opioids only as a “last resort” used a median of 15 milligrams of oxycodone within three months, compared to 53 milligrams in the standard-care group. Both groups reported similar pain scores, sleep quality and satisfaction levels.
6. Researchers at the Columbia-based University of Missouri found that cartilage removed during hip surgery may be viable for reuse in regenerative treatment. The findings suggest tissue normally discarded after surgery could be reimplanted into the hip joint to reduce pain and support recovery.
7. Patients who underwent robotic-assisted surgery used less opioid pain medicine and were discharged earlier compared to individuals who underwent manual surgery. A study analyzed 452 total knee arthroplasty procedures performed at a critical access hospital in the U.S. Of the surgeries studied, 215 patients received surgery with Johnson & Johnson’s Velys robotic-assisted knee system and 237 received manual knee surgery from a single surgeon.
8. A study from HSS suggests that a conservative recovery method, known as the “quiet knee” protocol, may improve outcomes after total knee replacement. The retrospective analysis reviewed more than 270 patients who followed the quiet knee method between 2020 and 2024. The protocol limits activity and emphasizes rest, ice and gentle movement for the first 10 days after surgery — a shift from traditional rehabilitation programs that push for early, aggressive motion. Researchers found that the approach reduced inflammation and swelling, leading to smoother recovery and a 25% drop in opioid use within 90 days.
9. A study from HSS found that its custom AI platform was effective in preparing total joint replacement patients for surgery. Researchers with HSS created an AI platform trained on surgeon-developed patient education content and found patients could easily access and understand the chat bot. The AI was created with Aidify to address questions related to total joint replacements.
