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Innovating Sports Medicine Through Research at RUSH

Alleviating Pain for Better Lives

Musculoskeletal pain impacts half of the U.S. population. That means roughly 165 million people live with pain that limits their daily activities — limitations that can result in devastating long-term effects on overall health and well-being if unaddressed.

At RUSH, world-renowned orthopedic clinicians and researchers refuse to accept the notion that bone and joint pain must be accepted as an inevitable part of life. Experts like Brian Cole, MD, MBA, associate chairperson of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush and the Dr. Ralph and Marian C. Falk Professor of Biochemistry, specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of problems and injuries of the shoulder, elbow, knee, ankle and hip. His team is pioneering innovative treatments and promising research to not only return professional athletes to peak performance but also help restore mobility and improve quality of life for patients of all occupations, ages and activity levels.

Progress Made Possible by Philanthropy

Research drives the development of life-changing treatments. In labs and clinics across RUSH, researchers and clinicians are on the cusp of major breakthroughs in sports medicine, from new surgical approaches to the possibility of regenerating the body’s own tissues.

Donations allow Cole and his research team to leverage existing strengths in clinical care, research and education to move toward a new era in orthopedic care.

• Osteoarthritis Prevention and Treatment: Despite the prevalence of osteoarthritis — the most common type of arthritis and leading cause of disability in the U.S. — little is known about the onset and progression of this painful chronic joint condition, making treatment extremely challenging. Under the direction of Cole, RUSH scientists are pursuing groundbreaking discoveries in this area that could lead to new and much-needed therapies.
• OrthoBiologics: Physicians and scientists view OrthoBiologics as the next frontier in orthopedic research. In the field of sports medicine, researchers are working to harness the potential of stem cells and other biologic compounds to enhance the surgical and nonsurgical treatments of several musculoskeletal problems.
• Sports Injury Prevention, Reduction and Research: A robust data science initiative underway at RUSH combines information about every patient’s ailment, treatment and recovery. Trends in this data help indicate the most effective ways to treat problems and allow physicians to make evidence-based decisions.
• Education: The most innovative physicians of the next generation will refine their training through RUSH’s highly sought-after sports medicine fellowship. Graduates from our program are among the best-trained orthopedic and sports medicine experts in the country. Because the RUSH fellowship program receives no governmental support, it is highly dependent on donor support.