Aging and orthopedics: how a lifespan development model can inform practice and research

Orthopedic surgical care, like all health care today, is in flux owing to an aging population and to chronic medical conditions leading to an increased number of people with illnesses that need to be managed over the lifespan. The result is an ongoing shift from curing acute illnesses to the management and care of chronic illness and conditions. Theoretical models that provide a useful and feasible vision for the future of health care and health care research are needed. This review discusses how the lifespan development model used in some disciplines within the behavioural sciences can be seen as an extension of the biopsychosocial model. We posit that the lifespan development model provides useful perspectives for both orthopedic care and research. We present key concepts and recommendations, and we discuss how the lifespan development model can contribute to new and evolving perspectives on orthopedic outcomes and to new directions for research. We also offer practical guidelines on how to implement the model in orthopedic practice.