Celebrating International Women's Day 2026 - Women in T&O
To celebrate International Women's Day 2026, our March edition of JTO includes a dedicated subsection focussing on women in Trauma and Orthopaedics, guest edited by Deborah Eastwood. In keeping with the theme, the issue artwork, drawn by BOTA President, Meg Baker, shows herself as a young girl looking in the mirror aspiring to be an orthopaedic surgeon.
Deborah asks the question, 'Women in T&O: Where are we now?' and suggests women should be present everywhere in the profession, whether it be in clinical practice, research, innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
Read her editorial as well as contributions from Samantha Tross, Chichi Menakaya and Emma Reay below.
Women in T&O: Where are we now?
Deborah Eastwood asks the question 'Women in T&O: Where are we now'? and reflects on the role and progress of women in our profession over the past few decades.
Hormonal related joint injuries in women
Samantha Tross’s article asks us to think about each patient as an individual. She highlights the growing recognition of hormone-related joint injuries and musculoskeletal problems in women, emphasising that these issues have often been overlooked or dismissed in orthopaedic practice.
Beyond the scalpel: The expanding role of women in orthopaedic surgery
Despite barriers such as bias and limited representation, women are increasingly becoming leaders, innovators, and mentors in surgery and healthcare systems. Chichi Menakaya writes about taking your skills and using them in different fields to make a difference.
The changing face of surgical research in the UK
Emma Reay’s article highlights the changes that have happened in the world of orthopaedic research encouraging a more diverse involvement to bring about improved outcomes for all.