Dear Participants,

On behalf of the EFORT Executive Committee and the Science Committee, we are delighted to invite you to participate in the 18^th EFORT Congress in Vienna from 31 May to 02 June 2017.

The annual meeting of EFORT is the largest platform for European Orthopaedics to exchange knowledge and experience within Europe but also with colleagues from other parts of the world.

Following the success of our previous congresses, the scientific programme will focus on Symposia and Instructional Lectures given by distinguished speakers from all over Europe, as well as on abstract submissions from all over the world.

The format of the meeting is designed to encourage interactions among participants, with both the Interactive Expert Exchange and Complex Case Discussion sessions.

The residents may also be attracted to Easy Evidence Update, which aim is to provide educational material in the form of knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enhance professional practice. Traditionally, the Michael Freeman and Erwin Morscher Honorary Lectures will be delivered by two highly distinguished orthopaedic surgeons.

The main theme of the Congress in Vienna will be “Sports activities and orthopaedic practice”. Highlights of the Congress also include, among many others, e-health applications in orthopaedic research, hip trauma and sport, less frequent shoulder sport injuries, treatment of chronic bone infection, shoulder instability management and functional outcomes after UKA and TKA.

The scientific programme would, however, be incomplete without your participation and we sincerely hope that you will attend the Vienna Congress 2017. We also encourage you to submit abstracts, the presentation of which forms a major and important part of the meeting.

We look forward to meeting you in the culturally rich city of Vienna for the 18^th EFORT Congress in 2017.