History
The Society was multidisciplinary from the very beginning, with equal status for all members regardless of profession, gender, or race. The primary objective was to improve the rehabilitation of all people with physical disability requiring prosthetic, orthotic, or other assistive products.
ISPO's 50th Anniversary
In 2021, ISPO celebrated its 50th anniversary. Click here to see how ISPO marked the festivities.
1970
The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) is established as a non-governmental organisation in Denmark.
Founding members of ISPO.
Standing, left to right: Jǿrgen Kjǿlbye, Denmark; Colin A. McLaurin, Canada; Anthony McQuirk, UK.
Sitting, left to right: D.S. McKenzie, UK; Anthony Staros, USA; Knud Jansen, Denmark; George Murdoch, UK; A. Bennett Wilson Jr., USA.
Members not present: André Bähler, Switzerland; Götz Kuhn, Germany.
Knud Jansen and 9-year old Ulla Andersen (stricken with polio at the age of six months) sign the official documents establishing ISPO.
1972
The ISPO Bulletin, ISPO's first official international newsletter is launched.
1973
The first ISPO Member Societies are formed in Nigeria, the UK and USA.
1974
The 1st ISPO World Congress is organised in Montreux, Switzerland.
1975
The first ISPO Short Course takes place in Rungsted, Denmark and focuses on Amputation Surgery and Prosthetics.
1977
ISPO takes over the editorship and responsibility of the scientific journal Prosthetics and Orthotics International (POI).
The 2nd ISPO World Congress takes place in New York, USA.
Charles Radcliff presents the first Knud Janson Lecture, which is since then presented at the opening ceremony of each World Congress.
1980
The 3rd ISPO World Congress takes place in Bologna, Italy.
1983
The 4th ISPO World Congress is held in London, UK.
1986
The 5th ISPO World Congress is organised in Copenhagen, Denmark.
1987
The first ISPO Consensus Conference on Amputation Surgery takes place in Scotland, UK.
1989
The 6th ISPO World Congress takes place in Kobe, Japan.
1992
The 7th ISPO World Congress is held in Chicago, USA.
1994
The second ISPO Consensus Conference on Lower Limb Orthotic Management of Cerebral Palsy takes place in Durham, NC, USA.
1995
ISPO establishes a partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The 8th ISPO World Congress takes place in Melbourne, Australia.
The third ISPO Consensus Conference on Appropriate Prosthetic Technology for Developing Countries takes place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
1997
The fourth ISPO Consensus Conference on Poliomyelitis ir organised in Hammamet, Tunisia.
1998
The 9th ISPO World Congress takes place in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
2000
The fifth ISPO Consensus Conference on Appropriate Prosthetic Technology for Developing Countries takes place in Moshi, Tanzania.
2001
The 10th ISPO World Congress is held in Glasgow, UK.
2003
The sixth ISPO Consensus Conference on Orthotic Management of Stroke Patients takes place in Ellecom, Netherlands.
2004
The 11th ISPO World Congress is organised in Hong Kong.
2006
The seventh ISPO Consensus Conference on Appropriate Lower Limb Orthotics for Developing Countries takes place in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The eighth ISPO Consensus Conference on Wheelchairs in the Developing World takes place in Bangalore, India.
2007
Start of the official collaboration with a first working plan between ISPO and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The 12th ISPO World Congress takes place in Vancouver, Canada.
2008
ISPO starts accrediting schools and training programmes.
The nineth ISPO Consensus Conference on Cerebral Palsy takes place in Oxford, UK.
On the occasion of the 21st World Congress of Rehabilitation International, WHO, USAID, ISPO and Disabled Peoples' International launched an important new document: Guidelines on the provision of manual wheelchairs in less resourced settings.
2009
ISPO officially establishes the Open Board formalising its cooperation with international partners (now GPEx).
2010
The 13th ISPO World Congress is held in Leipzig, Germany.
2011
ISPO participates in the eLearning Project TRAINORTHOT funded by the European Union.
2013
ISPO establishes the Council of Industry Partners, renamed Industry Advisory Group in 2017.
The 14th ISPO World Congress is held in Hyderabad, India.
2014
The 1st ISPO Global Educators Meeting is organised in Kobe, Japan.
2015
ISPO participates in MovAiD, a project funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme.
The 15th ISPO World Congress takes place in Lyon, France.
2017
The 16th ISPO World Congress is held in Cape Town, South Africa.
Launch of the WHO Standards for Prosthetics and Orthotic Service Provision.
Launch of the IC2A Inspirational Lecture at presented by a prosthetic user at the ISPO World Congress. The first lecture was delivered by Giles Duley.
2018
Launch of the ISPO Education Standards for Prosthetic and Orthotic Occupations at the 2nd ISPO Global Educators Meeting, in Gottingen, Germany.
2019
The 17th ISPO World Congress is held in Kobe, Japan.
2020
ISPO celebrates its 50th Anniversary.
2021
The 18th ISPO World Congress is held virtually.
2022
The 3rd ISPO Global Educators Meeting is held virtually.
Launch of International Prosthetics and Orthotics Day - November 5th
2023
The 19th ISPO World Congress is held in Guadalajara, Mexico
Launch of the Wheelchair provision guidelines
