AAOS Position Statements usually deal with a socio-economic issue and are designed for audiences beyond orthopaedic surgery. They are developed as educational tools based on the opinions of the authors. They are not a product of a systematic review. Readers are encouraged to consider the information presented and reach their own conclusions.
Active Statements
No. 1101 All-Terrain Vehicles (Revised September 2015)
No. 1102 Performance Enhancing Drugs (Revised September 2012)
No. 1103 Animals in Biomedical Research (Revised September 2013)
No. 1104 Value Driven Use of Orthopaedic Implants (Revised December 2014)
No. 1106 Delineation of Clinical Privileges in Orthopaedic Surgery (Revised November 2024)
No. 1109 The Financing of Graduate Medical Education (Revised June 2015)
No. 1110 Bicyclist, Motorcycle and Passenger Safety (Revised September 2015)
No. 1113 Osteoporosis/Bone Health in Adults as a National Public Health Priority (Revised October 2023)
No. 1116 Prevention of Hip Fractures Due to Osteoporosis (Revised October 2023)
No. 1118 Medical Liability Reform (Revised December 2020)
No. 1120 Reimbursement of the First Assistant at Surgery in Orthopaedics (Revised December 2015)
No. 1121 Safety Belts and Other Restraints of Motor Vehicle Occupants (Revised September 2015)
No. 1122 Screening for the Early Detection of Idiopathic Scoliosis in Adolescents (Revised December 2015)
No. 1127 In-Line Skating and Skateboarding Safety (Revised September 2015)
No. 1132 In-Office Diagnostic Imaging Studies by Orthopaedic Surgeons (Revised February 2012)
No. 1135 Trampolines and Trampoline Safety (Revised September 2015)
No. 1138 The Need for Daily Physical Activity (Revised June 2014)
No. 1140 Use of Breakaway Bases in Preventing Recreational Baseball and Softball Injuries (Revised September 2015)
No. 1142 Power Lawnmower Safety (Revised June 2014)
No. 1143 Power Snow Thrower/Blower Safety (Revised September 2015)
No. 1145 The Risks of Shoulder and Elbow Injury from Participation in Youth Baseball (Revised September 2022)
No. 1148 Surgical Care of the Lower Extremities (Revised June 2012)
No. 1151 Prompt Payment of Physician Claims (Revised September 2013)
No. 1152 Winter Sports Safety and Helmet Use (Revised September 2015)
No. 1158 Shortage of Nursing Professionals (Revised June 2009)
No. 1159 Orthopaedic Care of Patients with Fragility Fractures (Revised September 2016)
No. 1161 Ambulatory Surgical Centers (Revised June 2016)
No. 1162 Pharmaceutical and Device Company Direct to Consumer Advertising (Revised December 2009)
No. 1166 Physician-Owned Physical Therapy Services (Revised December 2014)
No. 1167 Specialty Hospitals (Revised June 2016)
No. 1169 Consensus Standards for Medical Devices (Revised February 2016)
No. 1170 Children and Musculoskeletal Health (Revised September 2016)
No. 1171 Alignment of Physician and Facility Payment and Incentives (Revised December 2015)
No. 1172 Emergency Orthopaedic Care (Revised June 2015)
No. 1173 Reimbursement for Approved Category I CPT Codes (Revised December 2015)
No. 1174 Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) (Revised December 2015)
No. 1175 Principles of Medicare Reform and Access to Specialty Care (Revised June 2015)
No. 1176 Principles of Health Care Reform and Specialty Care (Revised June 2015)
No. 1177 Physician Directed Use of Medical Products (Revised February 2016)
No. 1178 Comparative Effectiveness Research (Revised June 2014)
No. 1179 Health Information Technology (Health IT) (Revised February 2020)
No. 1181 Use of Global Service Data (Revised December 2015)
No. 1182 Shared Physician-Patient Responsibilities (Revised December 2016)
No. 1183 Public Reporting of Provider Performance (Adopted February 2012)
No. 1184 The Impact of Obesity on Bone and Joint Health (Adopted March 2015)
No. 1185 Innovation and Novel Technologies in Orthopaedic Surgery (Revised September 2020)
No. 1186 Swaddling and Developmental Hip Dysplasia (Adopted December 2015)
No. 1187 Use of Emerging Biologic Therapies (Revised September 2020)
No. 1188 Principles for Musculoskeletal Based Patient Reported Outcome-Performance Measurement Development (Adopted March 2018)
No. 1189 Joint Statement on Certification, Professional Self-Regulation, and the Use of Continuing Certification (Adopted March 2019)
No. 1190 Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy and Glenohumeral Arthritis are Unlikely to be Caused by Vaccine Administration (Revised June 2020)
No. 1191 Access to Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Adopted June 2020)
No. 1192 Potential Hazards of Surgical Smoke and Mitigation Approaches (Adopted August 2021)
No. 1193 Artificial Intelligence (Adopted February 2025)
No. 1194 Psychosocial Factors Associated with Patient Outcomes in Adult Orthopaedic Trauma (Adopted November 2025)
Statements Endorsed by the AAOS
AAHKS Position Statement on Outpatient Joint Replacement (December 2018)
American College of Surgeons (ACS) Consensus Statements on Firearms Safety (June 2019)
Joint Task Force of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Podiatric Surgeons (2020)
Position Statement on Arthrodesis of the Spine by the Non-Spine Surgeon
RJOS Bullying in Orthopaedic Surgery (March 2021)
RJOS Pregnancy and Parental Responsibility Position Statement (December 2018)
The Forum Creating a Safe Environment for Competitive Athletes (September 2019)
Retired Statements
No. 1105 Credentialing in the Use of Specialized Instrumentation in Orthopaedics (Retired December 2008)
No. 1108 Fee "Unbundling" and Uniform Definitions for Surgical Procedures (Retired September 2013)
No. 1111 Improving America's Trauma Care System (Retired June 2008)
No. 1112 Medicare Payments to New Physicians (Retired December 2007)
No. 1114 Physician DRGs (Retired December 2007)
No. 1115 Principles of Medicare Reform (Retired June 2008)
No. 1123 Sports and Recreational Programs for Physically Disabled People (Retired December 2008)
No. 1124 The Use of Knee Braces (Retired December 2008)
No. 1125 The Scope of Orthopaedic Practice in Managed Care Arrangements (Retired December 2007)
No. 1126 Twenty-four Hour Coverage Concept (Retired June 2008)
No. 1128 Medicare Joint Replacement Demonstration Project (Retired December 2007)
No. 1129 Medical Savings Accounts (Retired June 2008)
No. 1130 Relationships Between Health Care Plans & Trauma Systems (Retired June 2015)
No. 1131 Medical & Surgical Procedure Patents (Retired December 2007)
No. 1133 Banning Antipersonnel Land Mines (Retired December 2008)
No. 1134 Firearms Violence (Retired September 2010)
No. 1136 Managed Care in Workers Compensation (Retired June 2008)
No. 1137 Sledding Safety (Retired September 2010 and replaced by Statement 1152 - Winter Sports Safety and Helmet Use)
No. 1141 Health Care Coverage for Children At Risk (Retired June 2008)
No. 1144 Hip Fracture in Seniors: A Call for Health System Reform(Retired June 2014)
No. 1146 Telemedicine, Computers and the Internet (Retired June 2008)
No. 1147 Health Care Plan Accountability (Retired December 2007)
No. 1149 Medical Errors/Patient Safety Reporting System (Retired June 2020)
No. 1150 Early Return to Work Programs (Retired June 2011)
No. 1153 The Effects of Tobacco Exposure on the Musculoskeletal System (Retired February 2016 and replaced by Information Statement 1047 - Tobacco Use and Orthopaedic Surgery)
No. 1154 Prescription Drug Coverage Under Medicare (Retired September 2013)
No. 1155 Reprocessed Single Use Devices (Retired June 2006)
No. 1156 Family Violence (Retired February 2007)
No. 1157 Emergency Department On-Call Coverage (Retired December 2007)
No. 1160 Limiting Residents' Duty Hours (Retired December 2014)
No. 1163 Evidence-Based Guidelines (Retired June 2011)
No. 1164 Training for New Technologies (Retired June 2011)
No. 1165 Defining Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Workplace (Retired June 2011)
No. 1168 Injuries from Skateboarding (Retired September 2010 and replaced by Statement 1127 - Injuries from In-Line Skating and Skateboarding)
No. 1180 Principles for Physician Payment Reform(Retired June 2016)