 Primary care is often the best place to treat common muscle, bone, and joint problems, and winter makes that role especially clear. As colder temperatures, seasonal storms, and disrupted routines affect how people move and work, musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints become a frequent reason for primary care and urgent care visits.
During the current Arctic blast, for example, many nurse practitioners and other advanced practice providers are likely seeing how slippery surfaces, heavy lifting, cold-related stiffness, deconditioning, and winter sports contribute to predictable injury patterns. Following are common winter MSK injury patterns, how they typically present, and practical insights intended to support primary care clinicians in delivering confident, nonsurgical care.  Happy New Year from Jackson Orthopedic Foundation!
As you plan your 2026 continuing education, your inbox is probably full of familiar CE favorites -- telehealth, mental health, infection control, pharmacology, geriatrics, and more. Those topics matter, and you may already devote a good portion of your CE time to them. However, we hear from nurse practitioners and APPs every day who tell us they want more confidence and structured training in MSK -- especially for the shoulder, back, hip, knee, and extremity concerns that show up in their clinic so often.  As 2025 draws to a close, all of us at Jackson Orthopedic Foundation want to thank you for being part of our community of learners, educators, and supporters. Together, we’ve made meaningful strides in advancing musculoskeletal (MSK) education and care, and we couldn’t have done it without you.
At JOF, our mission is simple but urgent: to close the MSK education gap so every clinician is equipped to diagnose, treat, and prevent the muscle, bone, and joint conditions that affect millions of people worldwide. By empowering healthcare professionals with better training, we’re helping patients move better, live well, and thrive.  Our 8th Annual Canes Gala, held on October 26, 2025, was a big hit! This family-friendly Halloween celebration at Creekside Commons was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon, sharing good food, laughter, and community spirit. Guests mingled over a festive buffet and delicious non-alcoholic drinks, browsed the silent auction table, and enjoyed reconnecting with friends old and new.
The event program was filled with inspiration and insight. Our emcee Tim Hart opened the program with introductions and reflections on JOF’s 27-year journey. Elisabeth Andreason shared a heartfelt donor’s perspective, followed by Kathleen Geier, Rachel Chen, and Sheila Teker, who shone a spotlight on our incredible students.  Join Us for the 8th Annual Canes Gala! The leaves are turning, the pumpkins are out, and that can only mean one thing - Canes is back!
On Sunday, October 26, 2025, we’ll gather at Creekside Commons in Lafayette, CA, for an afternoon filled with food, fun, and purpose. This is more than just a Halloween celebration - it’s our most important fundraiser of the year, supporting scholarships and training for today's and tomorrow's clinicians.  Our 2025 Healthcare Immersion Program finished last week, and we wanted to take a moment and extend our heartfelt thanks to the incredible clinical preceptors and coordinators who helped make this summer’s program such a meaningful and impactful experience for our students: our preceptors.
 At Jackson Orthopedic Foundation, we’re always listening to our students, and what we’re hearing is clear: flexibility, relevance, and real-world application matter more than ever.
That’s why we’ve made the forward-looking decision to pause our October Orthopalooza 2-day Spine workshop. We’re redesigning the entire Orthopalooza workshop experience based on your feedback, creating the next generation of in-person training that’s even more adaptable and impactful for today’s clinicians. Our updated workshops will return in January 2026.  We’re thrilled to welcome the 2025 cohort of Jackson Orthopedic Foundation’s Healthcare Immersion Program (HIP) – a diverse and driven group of students who are passionate about finding a professional path in healthcare.
During the four-week program, which began July 7, our students are shadowing clinical preceptors in a variety of clinical environments to learn first-hand about how healthcare providers in different settings contribute to musculoskeletal health in our communities.  We’re excited to announce that the 8th Annual Canes Gala will take place on Sunday, October 26, 2025, from 3–6 p.m. at Creekside Commons in Lafayette, California — and we hope to see you there!
Get ready for tricks, treats, and transformative impact — our Halloween-themed Canes is shaping up to be our most magical gathering yet. We’re excited to announce that two inspiring alumni of our Healthcare Immersion Program (HIP), Rachel Chen and Sheila Teker, will serve as this year’s program coordinators!
Both Rachel and Sheila bring deep curiosity, compassion, and leadership to their roles—and they know firsthand what it’s like to walk in the shoes of HIP students. |
AuthorsWe're the staff and volunteers at Jackson Orthopedic Foundation, committed to improving the lives of patients with musculoskeletal conditions through education, research and service. Archives
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Jackson Orthopedic Foundation
4096 Piedmont Ave, #238 Oakland, CA 94611-5222 510.238.4851 Our live courses are taught in Lafayette, California
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