Orthobiologics Research Continues to Advance Modern Musculoskeletal Care of Patients: The Fourth Annual Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery Orthobiologics Special Issue

Orthobiologics are a rapidly innovative field of musculoskeletal science and clinical care, aiding in sports medicine and joint preservation to improve biologic healing, modulate inflammation, and improve clinical outcomes. Large scale randomized controlled trials and subsequent adoption into clinical practice are only possible because of a collective scientific effort to advance the field through meticulous basic science and clinical study. In the Fourth Annual Orthobiologics Special Issue, presented by Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, we present a collection of articles which represents the frontier of Orthobiologics research in the Arthroscopy Family of Journals. International collaborative initiatives have studied Orthobiologics in the laboratory, across sports medicine and cartilage restoration procedures in the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle through clinical studies and technique videos and crystallized results through systematic review and meta-analysis. The important scientific questions behind Orthobiologics are much broader than proving efficacy; clinicians and scientists must think much bigger: Which preparations are most likely to yield superior outcomes? How can variation in augmentation and delivery techniques influence healing trajectories? What are important considerations for physicians as they adopt Orthobiologics into clinical practice? To that end, we highlight the meaningful advances that scientists have made in answering those questions, along with the exciting white space representing the answers that remain, and the new questions generated for the next generation of Orthobiologics' study.