What’s New in Sports Medicine 2026

Recent insights in sports medicine are presented in the new JBJS Specialty Update What’s New in Sports Medicine. Here, we summarize the 5 most impactful studies, as selected by first author Khalid Al-Hourani, MD(Res), PhD, FRCS, and last author Xinning “Tiger” Li, MD.

Shoulder

The 5-year outcomes of open Latarjet procedure vs. free bone graft transfer for anterior shoulder instability and >15% glenoid bone loss were assessed in a randomized trial of 60 patients. The primary outcome (Western Ontario Shoulder Index score), secondary clinical outcomes, and recurrent instability rate did not differ between the treatment groups. Internal rotation was better in the bone graft group¹.

A meta-analysis of 31 studies (2,387 shoulders; mean patient age, 23.3 years) compared the outcomes of contact and noncontact athletes following arthroscopic primary Bankart repair for anterior shoulder instability. Contact and noncontact athletes had similar rates of return to sport, return to the preinjury level of sport, and revision surgery at a mean follow-up of 55 months. However, contact athletes had a higher rate of recurrent instability after arthroscopic Bankart repair (17% vs. 8%; p = 0.023)².

Knee

In a study of 8 cadaveric specimens, researchers investigated the effect of lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) vs. slope-reducing osteotomy (SRO) on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft loads and knee stability at increasing degrees of posterior tibial slope. The effect of the procedures on reducing ACL graft loads and increasing knee stability did not differ between LET vs. SRO at 10° and 20° of posterior tibial slope³. Specialty Update authors Drs. Al-Hourani et al. note that studies such as this one “continue to expand the role of LEAPs [lateral extra-articular procedures] as a meaningful surgical adjunct to reduce the risk of failure after [primary or revision] ACL reconstruction.”

The use of autologous bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) as an adjunct to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in the setting of early osteoarthritis was evaluated in a Level I randomized trial of 83 patients. BMAC failed to produce significantly better International Knee Documentation Committee scores (the primary outcome) or radiographic outcomes at 1 year compared with the control⁴.

Ankle

In a randomized trial of 88 patients (mean age, 30.3 years) treated with arthroscopic anterior talofibular ligament repair for chronic lateral ankle instability, investigators compared 2 rehabilitation protocols: immediate weight-bearing with a hard brace vs. non-weight-bearing casting for 2 weeks followed by weight-bearing after cast removal. Functional scores (the primary outcomes) did not differ between the groups. The groups had a similar time to return to activity for all activities except unsupported walking, which was achieved earlier in the weight-bearing group⁵.

What’s New in Sports Medicine is freely available at JBJS.org.

What’s New by Subspecialty

Each month, JBJS publishes a review of the most pertinent studies from the orthopaedic literature in a select subspecialty. To read the reports, visit the What’s New by Subspecialty collection at JBJS.org.

Recent OrthoBuzz posts include: What’s New in Foot and Ankle Surgery, What’s New in Biologics, and What’s New in Hand and Wrist Surgery.

References

1. Schulz E, Diepold J, Siegert P, Wierer G, Matis N, Hoffelner T, Auffarth A, Resch H, Habermeyer P, Tauber M, Moroder P. Hawkins Award 2024: Free bone graft transfer vs. Latarjet procedure for treatment of anterior shoulder instability with glenoid bone loss: five-year follow-up of a prospective randomized trial. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2025 Oct;34(10):2330-7.
2. Saleet J, Hao KA, Al-Hourani K, Ment AJ, Clarke RA, Nian P, Curry EJ, Abdul-Rassoul H, Cusano A, Parisien RL, Li X. Similar rate of return to sport and reoperation but higher rate of recurrent instability in contact versus noncontact athletes after primary arthroscopic anterior Bankart repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2025 Nov;53(13):3251-60.
3. Lemme NJ, Badida R, Molino J, Quinn M, Hague M, Fleming BC, Owens BD. The effect of lateral extra-articular tenodesis on anterior cruciate ligament graft forces and knee stability compared with slope reduction osteotomy in the setting of increased posterior tibial slope. Am J Sports Med. 2025 Jul;53(8):1912-20.
4. Yanke AB, Yazdi AA, Weissman AC, Wagner KR, Meeker ZD, Condron NB, Darwish RY, Drager J, Danilkowicz RM, Forsythe B, Verma NN, Cole BJ. A prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial to investigate the efficacy of autologous bone marrow aspirate concentrate during arthroscopic meniscectomy in patients with early knee osteoarthritis. Am J Sports Med. 2024 Oct;52(12):2963-71.
5. Zhao Y, Gu X, Chen Z, Li H, Hua Y. Functional outcomes of immediate weightbearing after arthroscopic lateral ankle ligament repair: a prospective randomized single-center trial. Am J Sports Med. 2024 Dec;52(14):3618-24.