University of Iowa Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation marks its centennial with a celebration in Iowa City Oct. 10-13.

The event will feature current and emeriti faculty and alumni leading sessions on the present environment for orthopedic education, research, and practice, and on the UI legacy to the profession and to patients worldwide. The annual Ponseti Races to raise awareness for clubfoot will be held Oct. 13 near the UI Sports Medicine Center.

Arthur Steindler established the UI program in 1913. Over the past century, the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation has built a global reputation for clinical expertise, research, teaching, and the development of leaders in the field. Only four department chairs have led the program: Steindler (1913-1948), Carroll Larson (1948-1972), Reginald Cooper (1972-1999), and Joseph “Jody” Buckwalter (1999 to present).

Examples of the department’s contributions include:

• Faculty member Ignacio Ponseti pioneered a nonsurgical treatment for clubfoot that is considered the gold standard and has been used to correct the condition in children worldwide.
• Ruth Jackson, a resident under Steindler’s guidance, became the first woman orthopedic surgeon in the United States.
• Since 2002, the department has received funding from the National Institutes of Health to pursue multidisciplinary research to prevent osteoarthritis following joint injuries.
• Professor Stuart Weinstein recently concluded a multi-center study that proved bracing is the best treatment for adolescents with scoliosis.

Visit the History link at uiortho.com for a video remembrance, archival photos, and further introductions to key figures in the 100-year history of the department.