Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (CORR), one of the major worldwide peer-reviewed monthly orthopaedic journals, was founded 50 years ago by the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons. J.B. Lippincott Company (now Lippincott Williams & Wilkins) always published CORR in hardbound issues, an unusual feature for a regularly appearing journal.

To provide a general orthopaedic reader an in-depth summary of current material in a given area, CORR has always published a group of papers (symposia) on a single topic. Recognized experts serving as guest editors solicit typically 10-20 contributions describing cutting-edge work or substantive reviews of an existing body of work. These symposia also afford the opportunity to explore in a single issue important societal concerns. Recent symposia include women’s health issues, minorities in medicine and orthopaedics, the relationship of industry to orthopaedic research, and gunshot injuries.

CORR also has always published unsolicited manuscripts in all areas of orthopaedic surgery and musculoskeletal research. Under the leadership of our first Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Anthony DePalma, Clinical Orthopaedics became Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research in 1963, recognizing the importance of basic research articles in the development of the clinical fields. Our second Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Marshall Urist, discovered bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), one of the first well-characterized growth factors. Many of his and other research articles are among our most widely cited. BMP is now FDA-approved for enhancing bone formation for various applications such as spinal fusion, and illustrating the translation of basic research into clinical practice. Basic research on growth factors still constitutes a substantial number of the basic research articles published in CORR. The works of Sir John Charnley, many published in CORR in the 1960s and 1970s, established the possibility of fixing artificial joints to bone with an acrylic cement. Such crucial works, along with his clinical follow-up studies in CORR, documented beyond doubt the safety and efficacy of what has proven a revolution in the treatment of crippling arthritis, and some of the most successful operations in the history of surgery.

Also beginning in 1963, CORR began to publish classic articles (The Classic) which eventually proved seminal in the area of the symposium. While mostly from the early 20^th century, many Classics reflect crucial 18^th or 19^th century contributions which would not be readily available to readers. In 1976 Lippincott published a popular leather-bound volume of many of these classic articles. We intend to publish the entire collection of these articles online.

The Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons sponsors an annual workshop to provide an overview of the state of the art and suggest future research directions in specific topics. We publish the Proceedings of those workshops as supplements to our regular issues. Recent workshops include gene therapy of musculoskeletal disorders, tissue engineering, articular cartilage repair, and treatment of metastatic disease to bone.

More recently CORR developed a major online presence with CORRONLINE. Content currently extends back to 1998. Last year we introduced CME credit via online quizzes of content in hard copy and online versions of CORR. Additionally, online content allows direct links between references accessible through PubMed. Although we have no clear way to track readership via institutional multi-user licensing, these agreements are increasing, and we might presume increased citations result from increased readership.

Owned by the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons, CORR is affiliated with and serves as the official organ for other societies: The Hip Society, The Knee Society, the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society, the Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society. Reflecting an international readership, the Hellenic Association of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology and the Spanish Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology are also affiliated with CORR. CORR publishes a Spanish-language edition quarterly, selecting those articles of greatest potential interest to Spanish surgeons. The annual Proceedings of some of these societies provide some of the most widely cited clinical papers, as many of their members are engaged in the cutting edge of clinical developments.

Our readership and contributors reflect worldwide advances in musculoskeletal clinical and basic research. We anticipate many years of continued service to the orthopaedic community.

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research
Richard A. Brand, M.D., Editor-in-Chief
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, publishers