Braden C. Fleming, PhD
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island
Dr. Fleming is the Lucy Lippitt Professor of Orthopaedics at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. He joined the Department of Orthopaedics at Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital in June 2003 where he specializes in biomechanics. He received his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Vermont in 1996 and then joined the faculty of the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at UVM for seven years. Now at Brown, Dr. Fleming holds an adjunct appointment in the Division of Engineering. He is the Co-Director of the Bioengineering Core of the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence for Skeletal Health and Repair at Rhode Island Hospital. He is currently the Associate Editor of Biomechanics for AJSM.
Dr. Fleming’s primary research interests focus on the lower extremity with a particular interest in soft tissue biomechanics, biomedical instrumentation and clinical outcomes. Recent projects include the development of experimental models to investigate graft healing & post-traumatic osteoarthritis following ACL injury, design of methods to non-invasively determine the biomechanical properties of healing soft tissues in vivo, validation of tissue engineering methods to stimulate soft tissue healing, and the development of new therapeutic strategies to provide cartilage protection following joint injury. For the past ten years, he has directed a randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating outcomes following ACL reconstruction with a focus on articular cartilage health (NCT00434837). Most of his research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense and NFL Charities, and he has received several research awards including the Kappa Delta Award; the Cabaud Award, and the ACL Study Group Traveling Fellowship (2010-2012).
Selected Published Work
Biercevicz AM, Akelman MR, Fadale PD, Hulstyn MJ, Shalvoy RM, Badger GJ, Tung GA, Oksendahl HL, Fleming BC: MRI Volume and signal intensity of the ACL graft predicts clinical, functional and patient-oriented outcome measures following ACL reconstruction. American Journal of Sports Medicine 43: 693-699, 2015.
Fleming BC, Proffen BL, Vavken P, Shalvoy MR, Machan JT, Murray MM: Increased platelet concentration does not improve functional graft healing in bio-enhanced ACL reconstruction. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, and Arthroscopy 23: 1161-1170, 2015.
Kiapour A, Shalvoy MR, Murray MM, Fleming BC: Validation of porcine knee as a sex-specific model to study human anterior cruciate ligament disorders. Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research 473: 639-650, 2015.
Murray MM, Fleming BC: Use of a collagen-platelet composite to stimulate anterior cruciate ligament healing also minimizes post-traumatic osteoarthritis after ACL surgery. American Journal of Sports Medicine 41: 1762-1770, 2013.
Fleming BC, Fadale PD, Hulstyn MJ, Shalvoy RM, Oksendahl HL, Badger GD, Tung GA: The effect of initial graft tension after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A randomized clinical trial with 36 month follow-up. American Journal of Sports Medicine 41: 25-34, 2013.
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Louis C. Almekinders, MD
North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic
Durham, NC
Dr. Louis C. Almekinders is a native of the Netherlands where he attended Erasmus University (Rotterdam, The Netherlands) for both undergraduate and medical studies. Following the completion of his studies he moved to the USA. While in North Carolina, he completed a residency in Orthopaedic Surgery and a research fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. In 1989 he joined the faculty of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the ensuing 14 years worked as a team physician for the varsity athletic teams and became a tenured, full professor at UNC. In addition, Dr. Almekinders spent a considerable amount of his time in basic, orthopaedic research focusing on acute and chronic soft tissue injuries. In 2003 he resigned his position to start the North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic in Durham, NC as part of the Duke University Health System. He is a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke University and continues to be active in teaching and clinical research. In his spare time, he is an active triathlete competing in age group national and world championships. In addition, he enjoys sailing off the coast of North Carolina and has an active mountaineering interest.
Selected Published Work
Almekinders, LC, Toa MA, Zarzour R. Playing hurt: Hand and wrist injuries and protected return to sports. Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy Review Vol 22, No 1: 66-70, 2014.
Devkota AC, Tsuzaki M, Almekinders LC, Banes AJ, Weinhold PS. Distributing a fixed amount of cyclic loading to tendon explants over longer periods induces greater cellular and mechanical responses. J Orthop Res 25: 1078-1086, 2007.
Rahusen FTG, Weinhold PS, Almekinders LC. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen in the treatment of an acute muscle injury. Am J Sports Med 32:1856-1859, 2004.
Almekinders LC, Pandarinath R, Rahusen FT. Knee stability following anterior cruciate ligament rupture and surgery. The contribution of irreducible tibial subluxation. J Bone Joint Surg 86A: 983-987, 2004.
Lyman J, Weinhold PS, Almekinders LC. Strain behavior of the distal Achilles tendon: Implications for insertional Achilles tendinopathy. Am J Sports Med. 32: 457-461, 2004.
American Journal of Sports Medicine Editorial Board Spotlight 