COVID has accelerated change everywhere. Some sectors are being turned upside down – retail shops, restaurants, tourism, travel, leisure, casinos, live entertainment, sporting events, etc. Ultimately, fifty million Americans will find new ways to earn a living.
Fortunately for the orthopedics device community, orthopedic care is in demand. Elective surgeries are being resumed this spring.
However, the Orthopedics Industry is going through a metamorphosis. I call this new phase Orthopedics 3.0.
First let me walk you through some quick history of orthopedics 1.0 and 2.0.
Orthopedic care has been around a long time. Fracture repair began in the middle ages including the use of casts and crutches. I would suggest the beginning of modern orthopedics was in 1960 with the advent of OA treatment and the the first protheses.
Orthopedics 1.0
Orthopedics 1.0 was conceived with a focus on PAIN RELEIF.
In 1960, Sir John Charley ushered in “low friction arthroplasty” with stainless steel and teflon (later changed to polyethylene). Charley implanted the first stainless steel monoblock hip stems with PMMA and polyethylene cups in the 1...
