Dr. Steven Arnoczky and a team from the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Laboratory for Comparative Orthopaedic Research have been awarded the 2012 Sports Health T. David Sisk Award for Best Original Research Paper. The award is given each year for the most outstanding original research paper published during the last year in the journal Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach.

Human and veterinary research come together at the Laboratory for Comparative Orthopaedic Research, which is a multidisciplinary research laboratory dedicated to applied basic science research of the musculoskeletal system of humans and animals. The laboratory is directed by Dr. Steven Arnoczky, the Wade O. Brinker Endowed Professor of Surgery in the College of Veterinary Medicine as well as Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery in both the College of Human Medicine and College of Osteopathic Medicine at MSU.

The award-winning article, “Infrapatellar Straps Decrease Patellar Tendon Strain at the Site of the Jumper’s Knee Lesion: A Computational Analysis Based on Radiographic Measurements,” was co-authored by Dr. Arnoczky, director of the laboratory; Michael Lavagnino, Ph.D., the research associate who oversees all biomechanical testing performed in the lab; Julie Dodds, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery in the College of Human Medicine and the Division of Sports Medicine at MSU; and Niell G. Elvin, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Patellar tendinitis, or jumper’s knee, is an overuse injury most common in athletes whose sports involve repeated jumping—basketball, volleyball, high-jumping and other sports that put a lot of strain on the knees. Without early medical attention and treatment, the condition can worsen over time and may require surgery. Participants in the survey were all men, but the authors found that both types of straps reduced strain on the patellar tendon. This finding is important for clinicians when treating patients with jumper’s knee.

The award is the latest for the team. Arnoczky's research in comparative orthopedics has resulted in numerous awards and honors from both the human and veterinary medical community. He has been recognized for outstanding research by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

Sports Health is a collaborative publication from the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM), the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), and the Sports Physical Therapy Section (SPTS).

Contact: Casey Williamson