ISAKOS Historical Timeline
1995 - Present

ISAKOS was formed in 1995 by the merger of the International Society of the Knee (ISK) and International Arthroscopy Association (IAA). Since then, ISAKOS has grown to a robust society of more than 3,000 members representing more than 90 countries worldwide.

1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2021

1995 - 1997

President
Peter J. Fowler, MD, FRCSC CANADA
Board of Directors

  • Establishment of ISAKOS, the merger of IAA and ISK in Hong Kong
  • ISAKOS logo was developed and bylaws were adopted
  • ISAKOS was managed by the AAOS in Chicago, IL, USA
  • ISAKOS becomes an all-inclusive Society

1st Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 1997
Buenos Aires, Argentina


1997 - 1999

President
Gary G. Poehling, MD USA
Board of Directors

  • Second ISAKOS Congress held in Washington, DC
  • Introduction of the ISAKOS Newsletter
  • First surgical skills workshop
  • ISAKOS holds first Strategic Planning Forum with more than 300 members in attendance

2nd Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 1999
Washington, DC, United States


1999 - 2001

President
Roland Jakob, Professor Emeritus SWITZERLAND
Board of Directors

  • Established ISAKOS headquarters in California, United States
  • Branded ISAKOS society, building upon the ISAKOS logo
  • First Honorary Members of ISAKOS awarded at the Congress in Montreux

3rd Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2001
Montreux, Switzerland


2001 - 2003

President
Barry R. Tietjens, FRACS NEW ZEALAND
Board of Directors

  • ISAKOS Global Connection Campaign was initiated to raise funds for education
  • Current Concept publication: Evolving Strategies in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Tendinopathy
  • ISAKOS Committees are advised to initiate projects as funds became available

4th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2003
Auckland, New Zealand


2003 - 2005

President
Per Anders Renström, MD, PhD SWEDEN
Board of Directors

  • ISAKOS holds first Global Leadership Retreat with ISAKOS leaders and industry partners in Boston, MA, United States
  • Committees increased activities with publications and current concept meetings on topics such as Biomechanics of then Patellofemoral Joint, Osteoarthritis of the Knee Prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty, Ankle Instability, and Complications in Upper Extremity Arthroscopy
  • ISAKOS Collaborative Courses completed with FIMS, SLARD, India Arthroscopy Society, and Chinese Speaking Orthopaedics Society
  • First ISAKOS Member Survey sent

5th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2005
Hollywood, Florida, United States


2005 - 2007

President
John A. Bergfeld, MD UNITED STATES
Board of Directors

  • ISAKOS Global Leadership Retreat was held in Beijing, China to foster collaboration between ISAKOS leaders and industry partners
  • ISAKOS Upper Extremity and Patellofemoral Traveling Fellowships were established
  • ISAKOS Collaborative Courses held with Russian Arthroscopy Association, Argentina Arthroscopy Association, India Arthroscopy Society, AMECRA, Chinese Association of Sports Medicine, and ESSKA
  • Committee initiatives included normal arthroscopic anatomy of major joints - shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, and minimally invasive surgery of the knee

6th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2007
Florence, Italy


2007 - 2009

President
Paolo Aglietti, MD ITALY
Board of Directors

  • Committee activities continued to increase with current concept meetings and publications on shoulder instability; the role of navigation in knee surgery; sports and activity in the elderly; recommendations, injuries and injury prevention; survey on elbow dislocation
  • ISAKOS increased collaborations around the world with the Chinese Sports Medicine Association, SLARD, ESSKA and Czech Society for Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy, South African Knee Society, APOSSM, Indian Arthroscopy Society, and Aspetar Arabian Gulf Sports Medicine Meeting
  • ISAKOS partnered with AOSSM to hold the first ever ISAKOS & AOSSM pre-conference, hands on surgical skills demonstration and workshop course

7th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2009
Osaka, Japan


2009 - 2011

President
Freddie H. Fu, MD UNITED STATES
Board of Directors

  • ISAKOS Global Link is launched! ISAKOS’ e-learning platform including surgical demonstration courses, Congress content and more
  • ISAKOS published the Scientific Committee’s “A Practical Guide to Research; Design, Execution & Publication” in collaboration with the Journal of Arthroscopy
  • ISAKOS Committee projects included a Current Concepts Meeting on AC joint disorders, and a -publication on ISAKOS classification of meniscal tears
  • ISAKOS Collaborated to cohost the ISAKOS, APOSSM, AANA & CMA International Forum on Orthopaedic Sports Medicine & Arthroscopic Surgery
  • First Sports Rehabilitation concurrent course held at the Congress in Rio de Janeiro

8th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2011
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil


2011 - 2013

President
Moises Cohen, MD, PhD, Prof. BRAZIL
Board of Directors

  • First ISAKOS Booklets are Published and distributed at the 2013 ISAKOS Congress in Toronto
  • ISAKOS Knee Committee published the “Biologic Treatment Options for the Knee,” a follow up to the 2011 Congress Pre-Course
  • Committee projects included an article in JBJS on “The Art and Science of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Muscle Injuries” by the ISAKOS Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Committee; and a Consensus Meeting on Rotator Cuff. Tendinosis, Impingement and Ruptures
  • Collaborative efforts included ISAKOS’ participation in the Chinese Orthopaedic Association Specialty Day 2011; ISAKOS & IAS & APOSSM course on Rehabilitation After Sports Medicine Surgery; Collaborative Course by ISAKOS & IAS & APOSSM – Update on Knee Surgery
  • ISAKOS & Chinese Society for Sports Medicine: 9th International Forum on Orthopedic Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Surgery
  • ISAKOS Website was redesigned and member access was improved with myISAKOS and myCongress
  • The ISAKOS Global Connection Campaign and Godfather programs were launched to support growing educational initiatives

9th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2013
Toronto, Canada


2013 - 2015

President
Masahiro Kurosaka, MD JAPAN
Board of Directors

  • ISAKOS Newsletter Expanded and Redesigned
  • ISAKOS Publishes first textbook! “Normal and Pathologic Anatomy of the Shoulder.” Three additional booklets are released
  • Committee Projects included a survey on the Use of Injections in Sports Medicine, and a Consensus Meeting on Shoulder Stiffness
  • Collaborative Courses included ISAKOS & IHKS: IHKS 3rd Scientific Meeting - Meet The World’s Legends: From Basic to Advanced Hip & Knee Problems; ISAKOS & IAS: The International Congress of the Indian Arthroscopy Society 2013; ISAKOS & FIFA – Football Medicine Conference 2014; ISAKOS & IAS & ISKSAA: ISAKOS & ISKSAA and IAA Collaborative Course on Knee Surgery; and the ISAKOS & Chinese Society for Sports Medicine: 11th International Forum on Orthopedic Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Surgery

10th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2015
Lyon, France


2015 - 2017

President
Philippe Noel Neyret, MD, PhD, Prof. FRANCE
Board of Directors

  • ISAKOS celebrates its 20th Anniversary in 2015
  • ISAKOS launches its official journal – The Journal of ISAKOS, under the editorial guidance of Editor in Chief, Niek van Dijk MD, PhD Netherlands, and publisher, BMJ
  • ISAKOS Strategic Retreat held in Clearwater, Florida—5-year strategic plan implemented
  • ISAKOS-ISMF Sports Medicine Fellows Conference scholarship established
  • Knee Committee held a Current Concepts Meeting and published Knee Arthritis in Young and Active Patients
  • Eight ISAKOS publications are published by Springer and distributed to members at the Congress
  • The Congress in Shanghai hosted the most attendees to date—4,100+!

11th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2017
Shanghai, China


2017 - 2019

President
Marc R. Safran, MD, Prof. UNITED STATES
Board of Directors

  • ISAKOS Global Link content is reviewed and rated – the website platform gets redesigned
  • Inaugural ISAKOS Global Traveling Fellowship executed for 5 Fellows and an ISAKOS Godfather
  • ISAKOS Knee Arthroplasty Traveling Fellowship launched with Knee Arthroplasty Committee
  • Seven ISAKOS books are published by Springer and distributed to members at the Congress
  • Michele Johnson retires as ISAKOS Executive Director
  • ISAKOS Office becomes full-time

12th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2019
Cancun, Mexico


2019 - 2021

President
Willem M. van der Merwe, MBChB, FCS(SA)Ortho SOUTH AFRICA
Board of Directors

  • Sue Reimbold, MA, CAE is hired as ISAKOS Executive Director & CEO
  • ISAKOS celebrates 25th Anniversary in 2020
  • JISAKOS announces awards to recognize top articles published since its launch in 2016
  • ISAKOS launches a new online Career Center
  • ISAKOS introduces webinars, enhancing education for surgeons around the world
  • ISAKOS hosts its first Virtual Course, focused on Knee Arthroplasty

13th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2021
ISAKOS's first virtual Congress!
ISAKOS 2021: Global


2021 - 2023

President
Guillermo Arce, MD ARGENTINA
Board of Directors

  • Held first interim meeting: ISAKOS Knee Arthroplasty Forum in Viña del Mar, Chile
  • JISAKOS becomes Open Access with Elsevier and offers limited time 100% APC discount for members
  • Offers international, hands-on education by collaborating with Partner Societies on surgical skills courses
  • Expands membership dues and benefits in 2023 to include JISAKOS APC discounts and Journal of Arthroscopy access
  • ISAKOS develops its philanthropic prospectus to celebrate the impact of educational funding and donations
  • Launches the ISAKOS Freddie Fu Lifetime Achievement Award

14th Biennial ISAKOS Congress - 2023
Boston, MA UNITED STATES