Classic Papers in General Orthopaedics

Pool built 2026-09-20 · All specialties

These are the 100 most-cited papers published in the General Orthopaedics journals, ranked by lifetime citations (via OpenAlex; retracted papers excluded). The daily digest draws its classic slot from this pool — subscribe to get one with your new articles, or browse the General Orthopaedics archive.

1. Projections of Primary and Revision Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in the United States from 2005 to 2030

   Steven M. Kurtz, Kevin Ong, Edmund Lau et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2007 · cited 6,921 times

2. Traumatic Arthritis of the Hip after Dislocation and Acetabular Fractures

   William H. Harris — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1969 · cited 5,707 times

3. Projections of Primary and Revision Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in the United States from 2005 to 2030

   Steven M. Kurtz, Kevin Ong, Edmund Lau et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2007 · cited 5,519 times

4. A Clinical Method of Functional Assessment of the Shoulder

   C. R. Constant, A. H. G. Murley — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1987 · cited 5,335 times

5. Rating Systems in the Evaluation of Knee Ligament Injuries

   Yelverton Tegner, Jack Lysholm — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1985 · cited 4,631 times

6. Rationale, of The Knee Society Clinical Rating System

   John N. Insall, Lawrence D. Dorr, Richard D. Scott et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1989 · cited 4,576 times

7. Femoroacetabular Impingement

   Reinhold Ganz, Javad Parvizi, Martín Beck et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2003 · cited 3,482 times

8. Prevention of infection in the treatment of one thousand and twenty-five open fractures of long bones

   RB Gustilo, JT Anderson — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1976 · cited 3,324 times

9. Dislocations after total hip-replacement arthroplasties.

   G E Lewinnek, J L Lewis, R Tarr et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1978 · cited 2,862 times

10. Ectopic Ossification Following Total Hip Replacement

    Andrew F. Brooker, Jack W. Bowerman, Robert A. Robinson et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1973 · cited 2,817 times

11. Prevention of Infection in the Treatment of One Thousand and Twenty-Five Open Fractures of Long Bones

    Ramon B. Gustilo, John T. Anderson — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2002 · cited 2,809 times

12. Patient Satisfaction after Total Knee Arthroplasty: Who is Satisfied and Who is Not?

    Robert B. Bourne, Bert M. Chesworth, Aileen M. Davis et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2009 · cited 2,606 times

13. A System for the Surgical Staging of Musculoskeletal Sarcoma

    William F. Enneking, Suzanne S. Spanier, Mark A. Goodman — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1980 · cited 2,509 times

14. Abnormal magnetic-resonance scans of the cervical spine in asymptomatic subjects. A prospective investigation.

    Scott D. Boden, P R McCowin, D O Davis et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1990 · cited 2,487 times

15. A System for the Functional Evaluation of Reconstructive Procedures After Surgical Treatment of Tumors of the Musculoskeletal System

    William F. Enneking, William Dunham, Mark C. Gebhardt et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1993 · cited 2,225 times

16. The Outcome and Repair Integrity of Completely Arthroscopically Repaired Large and Massive Rotator Cuff Tears

    Leesa M. Galatz, Craig M. Ball, Sharlene A. Teefey et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2004 · cited 2,167 times

17. Projected Volume of Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty in the U.S., 2014 to 2030

    Matthew Sloan, Ajay Premkumar, Neil P. Sheth — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2018 · cited 2,164 times

18. The Tension-Stress Effect on the Genesis and Growth of Tissues

    Gavriil A. Ilizarov — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1989 · cited 2,156 times

19. Fatty Muscle Degeneration in Cuff Ruptures

    D Goutallier, J.-M. Postel, J Bernageau et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1994 · cited 2,140 times

20. Anterior Acromioplasty for the Chronic Impingement Syndrome in the Shoulder

    Charles S. Neer — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1972 · cited 2,090 times

21. Abnormal magnetic-resonance scans of the lumbar spine in asymptomatic subjects. A prospective investigation.

    Scott D. Boden, D O Davis, T S Dina et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1990 · cited 2,073 times

22. The compressive behavior of bone as a two-phase porous structure

    D.R Carter, WC Hayes — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1977 · cited 2,011 times

23. Calcium Phosphate Ceramics as Hard Tissue Prosthetics

    Michael Jarcho — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1981 · cited 2,011 times

24. Properties of Osteoconductive Biomaterials: Calcium Phosphates

    Racquel Z. LeGeros — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2002 · cited 1,985 times

25. The Knee Society Total Knee Arthroplasty Roentgenographic Evaluation and Scoring System

    F C Ewald — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1989 · cited 1,972 times

26. Biochemical and Metabolic Abnormalities in Articular Cartilage from Osteo-Arthritic Human Hips

    Henry J. Mankin, Howard Dorfman, Louis Lippiello et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1971 · cited 1,969 times

27. New Definition for Periprosthetic Joint Infection: From the Workgroup of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society

    Javad Parvizi, Benjamin Zmistowski, Elie F. Berbari et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2011 · cited 1,947 times

28. Displaced Proximal Humeral Fractures

    Charles S. Neer — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1970 · cited 1,936 times

29. A self-administered questionnaire for the assessment of severity of symptoms and functional status in carpal tunnel syndrome.

    Douglas W. Levine, Bryony Simmons, Mark J. Koris et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1993 · cited 1,927 times

30. The Treatment of Certain Cervical-Spine Disorders by Anterior Removal of the Intervertebral Disc and Interbody Fusion

    George W. Smith, Robert A. Robinson — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1958 · cited 1,880 times

31. Health-Related Quality of Life in Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty

    Olivier Ethgen, Olivier Bruyère, Florent Richy et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2004 · cited 1,831 times

32. Prevalence of Total Hip and Knee Replacement in the United States

    Hilal Maradit Kremers, Dirk R. Larson, Cynthia S. Crowson et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2015 · cited 1,754 times

33. Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

    Lawrence G. Lenke, Randal R. Betz, Jürgen Harms et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2001 · cited 1,746 times

34. Injuries Involving the Epiphyseal Plate

    Robert B. Salter, William R. Harris — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1963 · cited 1,738 times

35. Radiculopathy and Myelopathy at Segments Adjacent to the Site of a Previous Anterior Cervical Arthrodesis*

    Alan S. Hilibrand, Gregory D. Carlson, Mark A. Palumbo et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1999 · cited 1,692 times

36. Functional Results of Hip Arthroplasty With Acrylic Prosthesis

    R Merle D'aubigne, M Postel — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1954 · cited 1,674 times

37. Lumbar Disc Disorders and Low-Back Pain: Socioeconomic Factors and Consequences

    Jeffrey N. Katz — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2006 · cited 1,671 times

38. The Epidemiology of Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty in the United States

    Kevin J. Bozic, Steven M. Kurtz, Edmund Lau et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2009 · cited 1,670 times

39. Mesenchymal cell-based repair of large, full-thickness defects of articular cartilage.

    Shigeyuki Wakitani, Tatsuhiko Goto, S J Pineda et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1994 · cited 1,620 times

40. The Etiology of Osteoarthritis of the Hip

    Reinhold Ganz, Michael Leunig, Katharina Leunig-Ganz et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2008 · cited 1,591 times

41. Complications of Iliac Crest Bone Graft Harvesting

    Edward D. Arrington, William J. Smith, Henry G. Chambers et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1996 · cited 1,571 times

42. Regulation of bone formation by applied dynamic loads.

    Clinton T. Rubin, Lance E. Lanyon — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1984 · cited 1,566 times

43. Radiological Demarcation of Cemented Sockets in Total Hip Replacement

    Jesse G. Delee, John Charnley — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1976 · cited 1,566 times

44. Biomechanical analysis of human ligament grafts used in knee-ligament repairs and reconstructions.

    F R Noyes, David Butler, E S Grood et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1984 · cited 1,530 times

45. Future Young Patient Demand for Primary and Revision Joint Replacement: National Projections from 2010 to 2030

    Steven M. Kurtz, Edmund Lau, Kevin Ong et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2009 · cited 1,517 times

46. Problems, Obstacles, and Complications of Limb Lengthening by the Ilizarov Technique

    Dror Paley — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1990 · cited 1,516 times

47. Development of the QuickDASH

    Dorcas Beaton, James G. Wright, Jeffrey N. Katz — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2005 · cited 1,511 times

48. The Cruciate Ligaments of the Knee Joint

    F G Girgis, John L. Marshall, A R S Al. MONA JEM — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1975 · cited 1,493 times

49. Two- to 9-Year Outcome After Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation of the Knee

    Lars Peterson, T Minas, Mats Brittberg et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2000 · cited 1,480 times

50. Histopathological changes preceding spontaneous rupture of a tendon. A controlled study of 891 patients.

    Pekka Kannus, László Józsa — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1991 · cited 1,477 times

51. The value of the tip-apex distance in predicting failure of fixation of peritrochanteric fractures of the hip.

    Michael R. Baumgaertner, S L Curtin, Dieter M. Lindskog et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1995 · cited 1,471 times

52. Roentgenographic Assessment of the Biologic Fixation of Porous-Surfaced Femoral Components

    Charles A. Engh, P. Massin, Kathleen Suthers — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1990 · cited 1,468 times

53. Noncontact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies

    Letha Y. Griffin, Julie Agel, Marjorie J. Albohm et al. — J Am Acad Orthop Surg · 2000 · cited 1,461 times

54. Classifications in Brief: Kellgren-Lawrence Classification of Osteoarthritis

    Mark D. Kohn, Adam Sassoon, Navin Fernando — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2016 · cited 1,457 times

55. The Results of Repair of Massive Tears of the Rotator Cuff*†

    Christian Gerber, Bruno Fuchs, Juerg Hodler — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2000 · cited 1,440 times

56. A biomechanical study of normal functional elbow motion.

    B.F. Morrey, Linda J. Askew, Edmund Y.S. Chao — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1981 · cited 1,399 times

57. Periprosthetic Joint Infection: The Incidence, Timing, and Predisposing Factors

    Luis Pulido, Elie Ghanem, Ashish Joshi et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2008 · cited 1,378 times

58. Intra-articular fractures of the distal end of the radius in young adults.

    J L Knirk, Jesse B. Jupiter — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1986 · cited 1,370 times

59. Observations on the Function of the Shoulder Joint

    Verne T. Inman, John B. Saunders, Leroy C. Abbott — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1944 · cited 1,367 times

60. Why Are Total Knee Arthroplasties Failing Today?

    Peter F. Sharkey, William J. Hozack, Richard H. Rothman et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2002 · cited 1,364 times

61. Fractures of the Odontoid Process of the Axis

    Lewis D. Anderson, RICHARD T. DʼALONZO — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1974 · cited 1,349 times

62. Evaluation of Cartilage Injuries and Repair

    Mats Brittberg, Carl S. Winalski — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2003 · cited 1,335 times

63. Total hip replacement in congenital dislocation and dysplasia of the hip.

    John F. Crowe, Vinodh Mani, C S Ranawat — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1979 · cited 1,329 times

64. A New Periacetabular Osteotomy for the Treatment of Hip Dysplasias Technique and Preliminary Results

    Reinhold Ganz, Kaj Klaue, T S Vinh et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1988 · cited 1,322 times

65. The Critical Size Defect as an Experimental Model for Craniomandibulofacial Nonunions

    John P. Schmitz, Jeffrey O. Hollinger — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1986 · cited 1,320 times

66. The Major Determinants in Normal and Pathological Gait

    John B. Saunders, Verne T. Inman, Howard D. Eberhart — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1953 · cited 1,309 times

67. Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 for Treatment of Open Tibial Fractures

    S. Govender, Cristina Csimma, Harry K. Genant et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2002 · cited 1,291 times

68. Introducing Levels of Evidence to the Journal

    James G. Wright, M.F. Swiontkowski, James D. Heckman — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2003 · cited 1,288 times

69. Displaced Proximal Humeral Fractures

    Charles S. Neer — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1970 · cited 1,286 times

70. Current Concepts Review - Acetabular and Femoral Anteversion

    Dietrich Tönnis, Achim Heinecke — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1999 · cited 1,283 times

71. The Cell and Molecular Biology of Fracture Healing

    Thomas A. Einhorn — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1998 · cited 1,283 times

72. Repairs of the rotator cuff. Correlation of functional results with integrity of the cuff.

    Douglas T. Harryman, L A Mack, K Y Wang et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1991 · cited 1,281 times

73. Ligamentous restraints to anterior-posterior drawer in the human knee. A biomechanical study.

    David L. Butler, F R Noyes, Edward S. Grood — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1980 · cited 1,272 times

74. The Bankart procedure

    Carter R. Rowe, D Patel, W W Southmayd — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1978 · cited 1,265 times

75. The Tension-Stress Effect on the Genesis and Growth of Tissues

    Gavriil A. Ilizarov — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1989 · cited 1,264 times

76. Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation Compared with Microfracture in the Knee

    Gunnar Knutsen, Lars Engebretsen, Tom C. Ludvigsen et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2004 · cited 1,260 times

77. Cell origin and differentiation in the repair of full-thickness defects of articular cartilage.

    Frederic Shapiro, Shinji Koide, M J Glimcher — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1993 · cited 1,260 times

78. Arthroscopic Repair of Full-Thickness Tears of the Supraspinatus: Does the Tendon Really Heal?

    Pascal Boileau — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2005 · cited 1,255 times

79. Prevalence of Primary and Revision Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in the United States From 1990 Through 2002

    Steven M. Kurtz — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2005 · cited 1,254 times

80. The Epidemiology of Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty in the United States

    Kevin J. Bozic, Steven M. Kurtz, Edmund Lau et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2009 · cited 1,246 times

81. The response of articular cartilage to mechanical injury.

    H J Mankin — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1982 · cited 1,235 times

82. Microfracture: Surgical Technique and Rehabilitation to Treat Chondral Defects

    J. Richard Steadman, William G. Rodkey, Juan J. Rodrigo — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2001 · cited 1,232 times

83. Clinical Application of the Tension-Stress Effect for Limb Lengthening

    Gavriil A. Ilizarov — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1990 · cited 1,227 times

84. Non-traumatic avascular necrosis of the femoral head.

    Michael A. Mont, David S. Hungerford — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1995 · cited 1,222 times

85. The Relationship Between Stress Shielding and Bone Resorption Around Total Hip Stems and the Effects of Flexible Materials

    R. Huiskes, Harrie Weinans, Bert van Rietbergen — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1992 · cited 1,222 times

86. A Systematic Approach to the Plain Radiographic Evaluation of the Young Adult Hip

    John C. Clohisy, John C. Carlisle, Paul E. Beaulé et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2008 · cited 1,216 times

87. Recent experience in total shoulder replacement.

    Charles S. Neer, K. C. Watson, F J Stanton — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1982 · cited 1,208 times

88. Dislocations after total hip arthroplasty.

    Raymund Woo, B.F. Morrey — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1982 · cited 1,205 times

89. Validation of Digital Visual Analog Scale Pain Scoring With a Traditional Paper-based Visual Analog Scale in Adults

    Domenica A. Delgado, Bradley S. Lambert, Nickolas Boutris et al. — J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev · 2018 · cited 1,199 times

90. Observations on the Effect of Movement on Bone Ingrowth into Porous-Surfaced Implants

    Robert M. Pilliar, J M Lee, C. Maniatopoulos — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 1986 · cited 1,187 times

91. The Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome

    George S. Phalen — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1966 · cited 1,176 times

92. Walking Patterns of Normal Men

    M. P. Murray, A. Bernard Drought, Ross C. Kory — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1964 · cited 1,176 times

93. Fractures of the Acetabulum

    Joel M. Matta — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1996 · cited 1,168 times

94. Outlines for the study of scoliosis

    Cobb, J. L. Cobb, John R. Cobb et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1948 · cited 1,163 times

95. Changes in Trabecular Pattern of the Upper End of the Femur as an Index of Osteoporosis

    Manmohan Singh, Arun Nagrath, PS Maini — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1970 · cited 1,153 times

96. Abnormal findings on magnetic resonance images of asymptomatic shoulders.

    Jerry S. Sher, John W. Uribe, Alejandro Posada et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 1995 · cited 1,147 times

97. The John Insall Award: Patient Expectations Affect Satisfaction with Total Knee Arthroplasty

    Philip C. Noble, Michael A. Conditt, Karon F. Cook et al. — Clin Orthop Relat Res · 2006 · cited 1,139 times

98. Metal-on-Metal Bearings and Hypersensitivity in Patients with Artificial Hip Joints

    Hans-Georg Willert, Gottfried Buchhorn, Afshin Fayyazi et al. — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2005 · cited 1,129 times

99. Fractures of the Odontoid Process of the Axis

    Lewis D. Anderson, RICHARD T. DʼALONZO — J Bone Joint Surg Am · 2004 · cited 1,124 times

100. Proceedings of the International Consensus on Periprosthetic Joint Infection

     Javad Parvizi, Thorsten Gehrke, A. F. Chen — Bone Joint J · 2013 · cited 1,124 times

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