What is World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day?
World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day occurs every October 19. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, more than 126 million Americans are impacted by musculoskeletal conditions. Many cases are brought on by obesity developed during childhood. World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day highlights obesity, screening, and prevention. The day also looks at symptoms, treatment, and economic impact.
World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day Related Holidays
National School Backpack Awareness Day
![]()
Every third Wednesday of September is National School Backpack Awareness Day. This day was created to ensure children are wearing their backpacks properly and safely. Improper use of backpacks can cause back pain, discomfort, and even permanent injury. A simple backpack adjustment can prevent lifelong pain in children and also increase focus in the classroom.
National Walk and Bike to School Day
![]()
National Walk and Bike to School Day comes around yearly on the first Wednesday of October. The purpose of this day is not only to encourage children to get up and get moving before they’re stuck in class for hours, but also to develop a sense of confidence in themselves and their communities.
National Children’s Dental Health Month
![]()
National Children’s Dental Health Month comes around every February. Several children see brushing their teeth as a torturous chore, while many parents struggle to get their children to brush their teeth properly. February is all about teaching kids how important dental hygiene is for their health now so that it doesn’t develop into a toothache later.
History of World Pediatric Bone and Joint Day
While the first Pediatric Bone and Joint Day — or PB&J Day — wasn’t celebrated until 2012, orthopedic medicine has far longer roots. Originally, the term “orthopedic” referred specifically to the correction of musculoskeletal deformities in children. Nicolas Andry, who was a professor of medicine at the University of Paris, coined the term in his textbook published in 1741. This book, which was directed towards parents, advocated for exercise, manipulation, and splinting to treat child bone deformities. 40 years later, In 1780, Jean-Andre Venel opened the first orthopedic institute, which was dedicated to treating children’s skeletal deformities.
The modern hip replacement was introduced in the 1960s by English tribologist Sir John Charnley, who made the connection that implants can be used to replace joint surfaces. He designed a one piece stainless steel femoral stem & head and an acetabular component, both of which were used to fix the bone along with bone cement. The Charnley Low Friction Arthroplasty and designs that evolved from it were used for over two decades for hip replacement procedures. In the 1970s knee replacements, using similar technology, commenced for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
USSR doctor, Gavril Abramovich Ilizarov, made a major contribution to orthopedic procedures without much training in the specialized field. Sent to look after Russian soldiers in 1950s Siberia, he came face to face with crippling conditions, infections, and bone malalignments. Employing the assistance of a nearby bicycle shop, he invented external ring fixators, similar to the spokes on a bike. With this, he was able to heal, realign, and lengthen to an unprecedented degree. The Ilizarov appartus is still used by surgeons to this day.
