Improving the Reporting on Sex and Gender in Orthopaedic Research.

Kimberly Templeton

MD, FAAOS, FAOA, FAMWA

Professor, University of Kansas

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Seth Leopold

MD

Professor, University of Washington

Marc Swiontkowski

MD, FAOA

Professor, University of Minnesota

Mohit Bhandari

FRCSC, PhD

Distinguished University Professor, Chair of Surgery, McMaster University

Sex and gender considerations in orthopaedic research remain underdeveloped, and this episode highlights the need for systematic change. The discussion traces how leaders in the field convened a major symposium to address persistent gaps—particularly the failure to analyze outcomes by sex despite routinely reporting participant counts. Pain research emerges as a critical area, with clear biological and gender-driven differences that influence acute and chronic responses, yet remain largely unstudied in orthopaedics. The speakers emphasize coordinated responsibility across researchers, journals, funders, and IRBs to require thoughtful study design, adequate representation, and transparent reporting. Their ideal future is one where sex and gender analysis becomes a default expectation, shaping more accurate evidence, improving clinical guidelines, and informing training for the next generation of clinicians.