2025 Vol. II ISAKOS President's Message

João Espregueira-Mendes, MD, PhD, Full Prof., PORTUGAL

ISAKOS eNewsletters   Newsletter Article 2025   Not yet rated

“Birds with the same feathers flock together”

It is with great pride and profound gratitude that I begin my term as ISAKOS President for 2025 - 2027. I wish to honor the vision and dedication of our past leaders, whose commitment laid the foundation for the society we have today. Their legacy inspires us to keep pushing forward to allow it to flourish in the years ahead.

My ISAKOS journey is a love story. Over the past 20 years, I have served this incredible organization with passion and purpose in various roles. Each chapter has deepened my connection to ISAKOS and strengthened my belief in its mission. What started as professional involvement has grown into something more profound: a lifelong commitment to global collaboration, innovation, and the elevation of orthopaedic sports medicine. I envision a world covered in ISAKOS blue where orthopaedic education and excellence reach every corner of the globe.

ISAKOS is unique in its global international profile with more than 4,000 members representing over 100 countries, and continues to grow as the leading global platform for education, research, mentorship and collaboration in orthopaedic sports medicine, knee surgery, and arthroscopy.

In the coming years, our strategic initiatives will revolve around three central pillars: (1) quality in education, research and mentorship, (2) diversity, and (3) innovation.

Education is the foundation of ISAKOS. We are committed to deliver the most trusted, independent, and high-level content in our field. We will rotate high-quality educational experiences globally to ensure we reach every community, especially those in underserved and difficult-to-access regions. We aim for a driving participation in the next ISAKOS Congress to be held in Sydney and the ISAKOS Knee Arthroplasty Forum (IKAF) in Brussels. Our digital platforms, including Global Link, Webinars, Virtual Courses, are central to our strategy. Our partnerships with global societies such as AANA, AOSSM, APKASS, ESSKA, SLARD and others will continue to expand our educational impact. The pandemic validated our commitment to e-learning and now we will further amplify its reach. Online education shrinks the world, providing learning opportunities to everyone, everywhere. Under the leadership of an outstanding editorial team, JISAKOS has reached new heights, now achieving an impressive impact factor of 3.3. What a gift for a starting presidency! We will continue to support this success through increased engagement, expanded global submissions, and by further enhancing the journal’s reach and influence. ISAKOS has now published over 45 books, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality education, while the ISAKOS Newsletter continues to serve as a vital platform for sharing updates, insights, and achievements across our global community. Research is part of the ISAKOS DNA. We will expand the Research Mentoring Program, offer Research Grants, and launch the Global ACL Registry. A new integrated platform will host global members research interest, congresses, and educational content, strengthening ISAKOS as a research hub for the world. We reaffirm our support for the Global Travelling Fellowship, Patellofemoral Fellowship, Knee Arthroplasty Fellowship, and Young Investigators Scholarships, essential tools for developing the future of our profession.

We aim to mitigate and remove all geographic, gender, cultural, political, economic, and linguistic barriers. Diversity is not only a value, it’s our driving force proudly representing more than 100 countries and strengthening representation from all continents, especially in leadership roles, faculty, and committees. We are implementing targeted mentorship programmes for young professionals and female surgeons to ensure strong, diverse voices guide ISAKOS into the future. We are seeing important progress in gender diversity. Female representation is steadily growing, with women now accounting for 304 members, including committee chair positions and Board of Directors. Undoubtedly, one of ISAKOS’ greatest challenges is to attract and actively engage the younger generation. In 2020, 33% of our members were under 45. By 2023, that number reached 35% and peaked to 45% in 2025. We are committed to a world without language barriers. Through high-quality translation tools across webinars, congresses, and digital content, ISAKOS will truly speak every language. This is a game changer for global reach and inclusivity. We will engage with a strategic focus on reaching underserved and difficult-to-access regions by providing content in their native languages.

ISAKOS will take the lead in adopting and promoting emerging technologies and innovation, including Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Robotic-Assisted Surgery and Orthobiologics.

These innovations will revolutionize our field and ISAKOS will be at the forefront, providing education, standards, and collaboration to ensure safe and effective integration.

ISAKOS’ future is bright. This is a time of momentum and opportunity. We have an experienced philanthropist and well-prepared Board of Directors and a diverse, dedicated, and highly motivated committee leadership team. The ISAKOS Office is a devoted, creative, and highly efficient team serving as the reliable backbone of our society, supporting members and advancing initiatives across the globe.

Our society is more than science - it’s about friendships, mentorships, and shared purpose. Together, we have the tools and the vision to shape the future of orthopaedic sports medicine. Our journey will be guided by science, inclusion, and innovation driven by you, the ISAKOS members.

Thank you for your trust. Let’s carry forward the spirit of unity, friendship, and passion that defines ISAKOS! Together, let us embrace a journey of growth and collaboration. United, we can overcome challenges and elevate the orthopaedic sports medicine community to new heights. And always remember - ISAKOS is you!

João Espregueira-Mendes - ISAKOS President