Oregon Sports Medicine Orthopaedist, Stanley L. James, MD Inducted into AOSSM Hall of Fame
Dr. James is a native of Iowa and graduated from the University of Iowa Medical School in 1962. Directly after completing his undergraduate studies at Iowa, he went on active duty as an army aviator. Once returning to Iowa for medical school, he continued as an Iowa National Guard Aviator until his medical school graduation.
While completing his residency in orthopaedic surgery at Iowa, Dr. James collaborated with exercise physiologist, Charles Tipton PhD. They studied the influence of exercise on ligament healing, finding that exercise actually enhanced ligament healing as opposed to immobilization, which was the standard of treatment at that time. Published in The American Journal of Physiology in 1970, the study was several years ahead of the curve when early motion following surgery became a standard of treatment. In 1967, he moved to Oregon to join Dr. Donald Slocum, one of the Fathers of Sports Medicine.
In the early 1970’s, he collaborated with University of Oregon track coach, Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike. He was a member of Bowerman’s select think-tank for shoe design. Dr. James is currently involved with state-of-the art biomechanical studies at the University of Oregon on running gait analysis. Dr. James authored 57 publications both in peer-reviewed journals and books and has served as a faculty member and chairman for numerous national and international sports medicine meetings
Additional highlights of Dr. James’ career include:
- AOSSM founding member
- Member, first AOSSM Research Committee
- Godfather, Herodicus Society
- Member, AAOS Committee for the Knee (1985 to1988)
- Honorary faculty member, Department of Orthopedics, University of Iowa (2004)
- Medical Director, US Olympic Trials 1976, 1980, and 2008
- Distinguished Alumnus Award for Achievement, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa (2006)
- Distinguished Alumnus Award for Achievement, University of Iowa Alumni Association (2012)
- University of Oregon Track and Field Hall of Fame for medical service (2010)
Dr. James is currently treating elite runners preparing for the 2012 Olympics and is on the orthopeadic staff for the 2012 Track and Field Trials. He also currently serves on the staff of Slocum Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Eugene, Oregon.
The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) is a world leader in sports medicine education, research, communication and fellowship, and includes national and international orthopaedic sports medicine leaders. The Society works to improve the identification, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of sports injuries. AOSSM is also a founding partner of the STOP Sports Injuries campaign to prevent overuse and traumatic injuries in kids.