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Leaders Recognized for Contributions to Foot and Ankle Orthopaedics

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 1,100 foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons, advanced health practitioners, orthopaedic residents, and medical students attended the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society® (AOFAS) Annual Meeting on September 10-13, 2025. The meeting was held in-person in Savannah, Georgia, as well as virtually.

The meeting offered attendees 250 live presentations, more than 350 poster and e-poster presentations, and the opportunity to connect with 101 exhibiting companies. During the meeting, the Society presented its most prestigious awards for outstanding research presented at Annual Meeting, including:

• 2025 Roger A. Mann Award, given in recognition of the outstanding clinical paper: "Enhancing the Progressive Collapsing Foot Deformity (PCFD) Classification System Through the Establishment of Defined Radiographic Cut-Off Threshold Values for the Different Deformity Classes," authored by Rebekah Belayneh, MD; Scott Ellis, MD; Donald Anderson, PhD; Nacime Salomao Barbachan Mansur, MD, PhD; Grayson Talaski, BSE; Francois Lintz, MD, PhD; Cesar de Cesar Netto, MD, PhD.
• 2025 J. Leonard Goldner Award, recognizing the outstanding basic science paper: "Metabolic Activity at the Bone-Implant Interface Following Total Ankle Replacement: A Two-Year Cross-Sectional Study of Asymptomatic Patients Evaluated With 18F-NaF Positron Emission Tomography," authored by Elizabeth Cody, MD; Silvina Dutruel; Lavan Rajan, BA; Scott Ellis, MD; Constantine Demetracopoulos, MD; Jonathan Dyke, PhD, DABMP.
• IFFAS Award for Excellence, given to the top international paper: "Predictive Model for AOS Response in Total Ankle Replacement: Doctor, Will My Symptoms Get Better After the Ankle Replacement?" authored by Carlos Albarrán Rodriguez, MD, MSc; Marianne Koolen, MD, PhD, MSc; Tudor Trache, MD; Sultan Alharbi, MD; Andrea Veljkovic, MD, MPH; Oliver Gagne, MD; Murray Penner, MD; Alastair Younger, MBChB; Kevin Wing, MD.

The Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the AOFAS, honored leaders and innovators in orthopaedics with their annual awards, including:

• 2025 Women's Leadership Awards, recognizing female contributions and leadership in the orthopaedic foot and ankle specialty: Rebecca A. Cerrato, MD, and Pamela C. Luk, MD.
• 2025 Pierce E. Scranton Humanitarian Service Award, recognizing orthopaedic surgeons who volunteer their time and surgical expertise in countries with limited foot and ankle care: Naren Gurbani, MD.
• 2025 Pillars of the AOFAS, honoring surgeons who have advanced the AOFAS and the profession through their leadership and dedication to educating foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons: E. Greer Richardson, MD; Pierce E. Scranton, MD; and Ronald W. Smith, MD.
• 2025 Legacy Pillars of the AOFAS, honoring iconic surgeons who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to sustained excellence in leadership, education, and philanthropy: Roger A. Mann, MD; J. Leonard Goldner, MD; and Kenneth A. Johnson, MD.

On the third day of the meeting, orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon, Sheldon S. Lin, MD, was installed as the 2025-26 president of the AOFAS Board of Directors. "The future of AOFAS lies in its members—especially in the future of the next generation of surgeons and researchers," Dr. Lin said. "Together, we will discover new pathways, concepts, and techniques that will elevate our specialty and improve patient care worldwide."

To learn more about the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, visit aofas.org.

About Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Surgeons
Foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons are medical doctors (MD and DO) who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries of the foot and ankle. Their education and training consist of four years of medical school, five years of postgraduate residency, and a fellowship year of specialized surgical training. These specialists care for patients of all ages, performing reconstructive surgery for deformities and arthritis, treating sports injuries, and managing foot and ankle trauma.

About the AOFAS
The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) mobilizes our dynamic community of foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons to improve patient care through education, research, and advocacy. As the premier global organization for foot and ankle care, AOFAS delivers exceptional events and resources for continuous education, funds and promotes innovative research, and broadens patient understanding of foot and ankle conditions and treatments. By emphasizing collaboration and excellence, AOFAS inspires ever-increasing levels of professional performance leading to improved patient outcomes. For more information visit the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society online at aofas.org.

SOURCE American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society