2026 Vol. II President's Message

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

ISAKOS eNewsletters   eNewsletter Article 2026   rating

Diversity Without Borders: The Strength of Our Global Community

Diversity is one of the defining characteristics of ISAKOS and one of our greatest strengths. As the leading global society in orthopaedic sports medicine, knee surgery, and arthroscopy, we are uniquely positioned to bring together individuals from different countries, cultures, languages, and professional backgrounds under a common purpose: improving patient care through education, research, and collaboration.

At ISAKOS, diversity is not simply a goal or an organizational value: it is the driving force behind our success. We strive to create a society in which every member feels represented, welcomed, and empowered to contribute. Our vision is to mitigate and ultimately remove geographic, gender, cultural, political, economic, and linguistic barriers that may limit participation in our global community.

Today, ISAKOS proudly represents more than 4,000 members from over 120 countries, making it one of the most internationally diverse organizations in medicine. This global reach allows us to learn from one another, share different perspectives, and develop solutions that are relevant across a wide range of healthcare systems and patient populations. Our commitment extends beyond membership numbers. We continue to strengthen representation from all regions of the world in leadership positions, faculty appointments, committees, and educational programs, ensuring that diverse voices are heard at every level of the organization.

Another milestone for ISAKOS is the continued success of the Journal of ISAKOS (JISAKOS). We are proud to celebrate the journal's new Impact Factor of 3.7 and CiteScore of 4.6, reflecting its growing scientific influence and the high quality of research it publishes. These achievements strengthen JISAKOS's position as a leading international journal in orthopaedic sports medicine. I extend my sincere congratulations and thanks to our Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, Editorial Board, reviewers, authors, and publishing partners for their dedication, and to the global ISAKOS community for its continued support.

Geographic, Linguistic, Cultural and Religious Diversity and Regional Engagement

Geographic, linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity remain major priorities for ISAKOS. We recognize that excellence in orthopaedic sports medicine exists in every region of the world, across all cultures, languages, and belief systems, and our responsibility is to ensure that every voice has the opportunity to be heard and represented. Through strategic partnerships with regional societies and targeted educational initiatives, ISAKOS continues to expand its presence in regions that have historically been underrepresented in international organizations. At the same time, we are committed to breaking down language barriers that have traditionally limited access to education and collaboration. By embracing emerging translation technologies and investing in multilingual educational resources, webinars, congresses, and digital platforms, we aim to make ISAKOS accessible to every member, regardless of their native language. By fostering an environment of mutual respect, inclusion, and global engagement, we not only strengthen our society but also enrich the quality, diversity, and relevance of the knowledge we share.

The first-ever ISAKOS Regional Summit in Mumbai marked a major milestone for the Society, bringing together over 1,100 delegates for several days of outstanding collaboration, connection, and high-level education. Featuring 17 international faculty and more than 50 national expert faculty, the meeting showcased the latest advances in knee and shoulder sports medicine as well as arthroplasty, reflecting the breadth and depth of our specialty. With the strong engagement of over 30 industry partners, the Summit highlighted the power of partnership in advancing innovation and education. This landmark event reinforces ISAKOS’s commitment to regional engagement and the expansion of world-class orthopaedic education across the globe.

Building Leadership Pathways for Women in ISAKOS

Gender diversity is another area where we are seeing meaningful progress. Female representation within ISAKOS continues to grow, with women now accounting for more than 300 members across our global community. Women are increasingly serving in leadership roles, participating on committees, chairing educational activities, and contributing to the governance of the society through committee leadership positions and the Board of Directors.

The Gender Diversity Task Force of ISAKOS, through initiatives such as the Women of ISAKOS, is actively working to strengthen representation, foster leadership opportunities, and advance meaningful gender balance across the global orthopaedic sports medicine community. While there is still work ahead, these achievements demonstrate our commitment to creating pathways for greater inclusion and leadership opportunities for women within Orthopaedic Sports Medicine.

The ISAKOS Gender & Diversity Task Force, in collaboration with ESSKA, hosted a Women in Orthopaedics Luncheon at the 2025 ISAKOS Congress, providing a valuable forum for networking, strengthening leadership connections, and fostering renewed professional relationships among female members and attendees.

To further support and recognize emerging female leaders in our field, ISAKOS has established the Early Career Women in Research Excellence Award, honoring outstanding female researchers aged 45 years or younger whose scientific contributions demonstrate excellence, innovation, and leadership in arthroscopy, knee surgery, and orthopaedic sports medicine. This initiative reflects our commitment to promoting diversity, increasing representation, and inspiring the next generation of women in academic orthopaedics. We encourage all female young professionals to submit an abstract to the 2027 ISAKOS Congress and take advantage of this opportunity to apply.

Engaging the Next Generation of ISAKOS Leaders

Equally important is age diversity. The future of ISAKOS depends on our ability to attract, engage, and develop the next generation of orthopaedic surgeons, researchers, and educators. Encouragingly, we have witnessed remarkable growth among younger members. In 2020, 33% of our membership was under the age of 45. This increased to 35% in 2023 and reached an impressive 45% in 2025. These numbers reflect the growing relevance of ISAKOS to early-career professionals and reinforce the importance of investing in mentorship, fellowships, research opportunities, and leadership development programs. Young professionals are not simply the future of ISAKOS: they are already shaping its present.

The ISAKOS Young Professionals Task Force hosted the inaugural Young Professionals Social, marking the opening of the 2025 Congress and providing an excellent opportunity for attendees to network with ISAKOS leadership and international peers, while gaining deeper insight into the Society and pathways for active engagement and involvement

ISAKOS further demonstrates its commitment to the next generation through the Young Professionals Abstract Awards, which recognize outstanding scientific contributions from early-career surgeons and researchers under the age of 45. This initiative reflects ISAKOS's belief that investing in young professionals is essential to driving innovation, advancing research, and shaping the future of our specialty. Take the next step in your career—submit an abstract to the 2027 ISAKOS Congress and apply!

Diversity as the Foundation of Our Future

Diversity is not an endpoint: it is a continuous journey. As ISAKOS continues to grow, we remain committed to building a society where every member feels represented, valued, and connected. By embracing diversity in all its forms, we strengthen not only our organization but also the global Orthopaedic Sports Medicine community.

The future of ISAKOS is diverse, inclusive, and global. Together, we will continue to break down barriers, expand opportunities, and ensure that excellence in education, research, and patient care knows no borders.

João Espregueira-Mendes - ISAKOS President