Addressing Aging-related Orthopaedic Disorders: Innovative Strategies for Spine and Joint Health

The field of orthopaedics is increasingly confronted by a significant demographic shift: the global population is aging, and as a result, orthopaedic disorders have emerged as a major public health challenge. These disorders, including degenerative joint and spine diseases, sarcopenia, and fragility fractures, are characterized by progressive tissue degeneration, pain, and functional loss. These conditions intertwine to form a complex "aging-musculoskeletal" cycle, severely affecting the elderly's quality of life and imposing heavy socioeconomic burdens.

Degenerative joint and spine diseases involve complex biological pathways, including chronic low-grade inflammation, subchondral bone changes, synovitis, and cellular senescence. These conditions not only limit mobility but also heighten the risk of falls, which, when coexisted with sarcopenia, can lead to "last fracture" due to their strong association with high mortality and disability rates. Conventional treatments, such as analgesics, physical therapy, and end-stage surgical interventions, often provide limited symptomatic relief without addressing the underlying pathology. Therefore, the field is transitioning towards earlier and more fundamental interventional strategies.

This Research Topic aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration to translate cutting-edge basic research into innovative clinical practices. The goal is to enhance outcomes and broaden treatment possibilities for aging-related orthopaedic disorders. By integrating insights from molecular biology, regenerative medicine, and clinical applications, this Research Topic strives to address the fundamental mechanisms underpinning these conditions and foster the development of transformative therapeutic strategies.

To gather further insights into aging-related orthopaedic disorders, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o New Progress: Investigating mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, such as the influence of epigenetics, stem cell exhaustion, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) on the musculoskeletal system.
o New Methods: Developing novel therapeutic strategies derived from these mechanistic insights, including regenerative medicine techniques, targeted pharmaceuticals, advanced biomaterials, minimally invasive surgical techniques, and integrated management models combining nutrition, exercise, and cognitive-behavioral approaches.
o New Conclusions: Evaluating new therapeutic strategies' safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness through clinical cohorts, real-world studies, or rigorous meta-analyses.
o Early diagnostics: Exploring biomarkers and risk prediction models for timely intervention during these disorders.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Aging-Related Orthopaedic Disorders; Degenerative Joint; Degenerative Spine; Sarcopenia; Fragility Fractures;

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.