Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Association (ORA)

At the 1989 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) in New Orleans, a group of Orthopaedic surgeons met and founded the Orthopedic Rehabilitation Association (ORA). These surgeons were interested in the orthopaedic care of patients with complex musculoskeletal problems, which were global in nature and were not being addressed by other specialty societies.

Vision:
Rehabilitation is the restoration or optimization of functional capacities and outcomes of individuals with chronic debilitating conditions. Orthopaedic surgery is a valuable and powerful tool in the rehabilitation armamentarium for improving musculoskeletal function. Orthopaedic rehabilitation uses the basic principles of their specialty to evaluate and treat a wide variety of potentially devastating injuries and disorders. Orthopaedic rehabilitation does not limit itself by the age of the person, the anatomic location of the problem, or the etiology of the musculoskeletal dysfunction. Rather, it focuses on the musculoskeletal system as a whole and understands the linkages and coupling between bones, joints, muscles, and the nervous system. The Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Association strives to be a force helping to unify the needs of their patients with the ever expanding subspecialty expertise within Orthopaedic Surgery and other medical specialties. The Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Association also promotes the continuing care of children with orthopaedic disorders as they transition to the world of adult health care. Orthopaedic rehabilitation utilizes the entire range of services offered by traditional orthopaedic subspecialties along with an array of novel treatments. Some of the disorders commonly treated in Orthopaedic Rehabilitation include:

Mission:
The mission of the Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Association is to promote high standards of patient care to improve the functional outcome of persons with musculoskeletal disabilities. Education and research are the cornerstones of these efforts and enable us to continually progress in their efforts to advocate on behalf of their patients.