Madrid will host the global orthopedic community on September 3–5th of this year at the 45th SICOT Orthopedic World Congress (SOWC). We should celebrate and actively participate in this global event. Under the presidency of Vikas Kandhuja, president of SICOT, and Oliver Marín-Peña, president of the 45th Congress, this event will bring together a plethora of specialists around thought leaders in various fields, promising to be a groundbreaking and transformative gathering for the orthopedic community.
The 45th SICOT World Congress will serve as a global platform where leading experts, innovative researchers, and industry leaders come together to share cutting-edge advancements, research findings, and technological innovations that are shaping the future of orthopedic care. The comprehensive program will feature plenary and keynote lectures, debates, interactive workshops, panel discussions, surgical technique demonstrations, expert sessions, regenerative medicine, future innovations and free paper sessions covering a wide array of topics, from advanced cutting edge surgical techniques to emerging technologies in practice and challenges of orthopedic practice in the Low income countries.
As the President of SICOT and the President of the SOWC say, “your participation is invaluable”.1 “As delegates and industry partners, your insights and collaborations are essential in driving progress in our field. We encourage you to engage in discussions, share your perspectives, and explore new opportunities for collaboration that will not only enhance patient care but also propel our specialty forward. Our goal for this congress is to host the most successful GLOBAL SICOT meeting yet, welcoming delegates from all corners of the world”.1
SICOT has been at the forefront of global orthopedic education, collaboration, and excellence, bringing together surgeons, researchers, and industry leaders from every continent. Madrid 2025 will be a unique opportunity to honor this legacy, explore the latest breakthroughs, and connect with a truly international community committed to shaping the future of orthopedics.2
SICOT has grown into a truly global organization, fostering international cooperation and promoting the highest standards in orthopedic surgery.3 The upcoming congress will not only celebrate 95 years of SICOT's contributions but will also mark the 50th anniversary of International Orthopaedics, a journal that has been instrumental in disseminating knowledge and pioneering research.4
The first reference relating to an international orthopedic association, which eventually became SICOT, is found in a letter written by Robert William Lovett of Harvard University in Boston, in 1913.5 After several contacts, letters and meetings between orthopedists from different countries (RW Lovett, Hans Spitzy – Vienna–, Robert Jones – Liverpool–, Fred Albee – USA – and Vittorio Putti – Bologna) the first meeting did take place in Paris at the Hotel Crillon on October 10, 1929. The group of founders who attended included: from Austria, Erlacher and Spitzy; from Belgium, Lorthioir, Delchef and Maffei; from Spain, San Ricart; from the United States, Albee, Baer and Meyerding; from France, Ombrédanne, Rocher, Sorrel and Nové-Josserand; from Great Britain, Fairbank; from Germany, Bielsalski; from Italy, Galeazzi and Putti; from Holland, Murk Jansen; from Romania, Frans Jiano; from Sweden, Haglund and Waldenstrom; from Switzerland, Machard; and from Czechoslovakia, Zahradnicek6 (Fig. 1). It was agreed that the official languages would be German, French, English, Italian and Spanish.5
Ramón San Ricart, a Catalan born in Vic in 1882 (1882–1955), not very remembered today, would be present at the founding of SICOT in 1929 and at the founding of the Spanish Society of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology (SECOT) on July 6, 1935 (Fig. 2) and of the Catalan Society of COT on March 23, 1931.7–10 San Ricart was the only Spanish doctor involved in SICOT's founding in Paris and attended all SICOT congresses until 1936. In 1951, he became SICOT's Vice President and worked to bring the 1957 congress to Barcelona, though he did not live to see it—he passed away in 1955 (Fig. 3).
After an astonishing 68 years, SICOT is back in Spain, marking its grand return since the historic meeting in Barcelona in 1957. The seventh SICOT Congress in Barcelona welcomed thousand orthopedic surgeons worldwide to the Palace of Montjuïc for five days of scientific exchange and celebration (Fig. 4). The return of SICOT to Spain is a testament to the country's unwavering dedication to the field, its vibrant academic culture, and its commitment to fostering international collaboration.4
Come to Madrid to diffuse your research
The best research presented in Madrid will not remain within conference halls. Leading orthopedic journals like “International Orthopaedics” and “SICOT-J”, the official journals of SICOT, and/or the “Revista Española de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología”, official journal of SECOT, provide a prestigious platform for disseminating groundbreaking studies to a worldwide readership. Publishing in these journals ensures that your work reaches specialists, surgeons, and academics who can apply your findings in clinical practice and further research.
The Editorial Board of International Orthopaedics will celebrate the 50th anniversary of International Orthopaedics in Madrid, bringing together the brightest minds in musculoskeletal science! With top orthopedic surgeons, researchers, and innovators gathering in the heart of Spain, this isn’t just another meeting—it's a fusion of cutting-edge advancements, groundbreaking research, and global collaboration.4 From biomechanics to regenerative medicine, the future of orthopedics is being shaped right here.
Stay tuned, because what happens in Madrid won’t stay in Madrid—it’ll transform orthopedic care worldwide! Whether you are an established expert or an emerging researcher, presenting your work in Madrid offers an unparalleled opportunity to share your findings with a global audience. Take the opportunity to go to Madrid, present your research, publish in top-tier journals, and make a lasting impact on the future of orthopedics.
With a world-class faculty spanning all continents, SICOT SOWC 2025 promises to be a truly global gathering where experts and emerging leaders come together to share their research, discuss key challenges, and shape the future of orthopedics. The scientific sessions have been carefully curated to ensure a balance of cutting-edge research, practical learning, and thought-provoking discussions that will inspire and drive meaningful advancements in patient care.
