On submission of the manuscript, the authors are required to fill in and sign the form "Acknowledgement of Authorship, Conflict of Interest Statement, and Transfer of Copyright Agreement". Authors should clearly state whether or not any conflict of interest issue exists, and state their contribution to the study.

An ORCID ID is required for all authors during the submission of the manuscript. The ID is available free of charge at https://orcid.org.

The editorial and publication processes of the Journal are conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the International Council of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), the Council of Science Editors (CSE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the European Association of Science Editors (EASE), and National Information Standards Organization (NISO). The Journal conforms to the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (https://doaj.org/apply/transparency/).

Submitted material must be approved by the editorial board in order to be published. A peer review will be made by at least two reviewers, and the editorial board has the right to accept, ask for revision, or reject the manuscript. If the revised version of the manuscript is not submitted within the allocated time (30 days), the revision option may be cancelled. Once a manuscript is submitted, authors may not add, remove or change authors of the manuscript.

Reviewers are selected among independent experts who are experienced authors who have publications in the international literature. Manuscripts may be rejected without peer review by the editor-in-chief if they do not comply with the Instructions for Authors or if they are beyond the scope of the Journal. Any manuscript that does not conform to the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals, as reported at http://www.icmje.org/icmje-recommendations.pdf will also be rejected. Following rejection, the Editorial Board is not obliged to provide detailed reports.

Manuscripts must be submitted under the appropriate article type, such as Original Articles, Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, Case Reports, or Editorials. Submissions that are not correctly categorized may be returned without peer review, in accordance with COPE, WAME, and ICMJE guidelines.

Manuscripts are expected to demonstrate rigorous study design, including clearly defined objectives, reproducible methodology, appropriate statistical analysis, and transparent reporting of results. The journal maintains an open policy toward the publication of studies with negative or null results. This approach aims to reduce publication bias and promote transparency in research reporting, in line with current best practices and ethical standards in scholarly publishing, including the responsible use of AI tools.

The journal prioritizes high-quality multi-center, international collaborative, and multidisciplinary research that integrates diverse expertise and generates evidence with broad clinical applicability. Such submissions will receive dedicated editorial attention.

The journal encourages research designs that reflect collaboration across institutions, countries, and disciplines, and that address complex scientific and clinical questions through rigorous and transparent methodologies. Studies that demonstrate collaborative frameworks and multidisciplinary integration are considered to align closely with the journal's publication priorities and contemporary global research standards.

Only a limited number of case reports will be considered for publication, and acceptance is reserved for those that provide clear educational value or unique clinical insights. Case reports must comply with all ethical, consent, and reporting requirements outlined by the journal.

To ensure transparency, reproducibility, and adherence to international best practices, authors are required to follow appropriate reporting guidelines relevant to their study design.

All relevant checklists must be submitted alongside the manuscript, indicating page numbers corresponding to each item. Manuscripts that do not comply with these reporting guidelines may be returned prior to peer review. This adherence is aligned with ICMJE, WAME, and COPE standards, supporting scientific rigor, reproducibility, and transparency. Authors are encouraged to consult the EQUATOR Network (https://www.equator-network.org/) for guidance on reporting standards for other study types. This approach ensures that all published research maintains high standards of clarity, completeness, and ethical reporting, fostering trust and credibility in the scientific record.

All manuscripts submitted to the journal are screened for plagiarism and duplicate or redundant publication using appropriate plagiarism detection software prior to peer review and, where necessary, at additional stages of the editorial process.

Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, constitutes a serious breach of publication ethics. Plagiarism is defined as the reproduction of another work, in whole or in part, without appropriate citation or acknowledgment, including verbatim copying, close paraphrasing, or substantial similarity.

In cases where suspected plagiarism or duplication is identified before acceptance, after acceptance, or following publication, the Editorial Board will initiate an investigation in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines and flowcharts. Authors will be given the opportunity to provide an explanation or rebuttal.

If the explanation is deemed unsatisfactory, the Editorial Board reserves the right to take appropriate editorial action, which may include rejection of the manuscript, publication of a correction, issuance of an Expression of Concern, or retraction of the article. In cases of confirmed misconduct, additional measures may be taken, including temporary restrictions on future submissions, as determined by the responsible Editor(s).

The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record and applies plagiarism screening consistently to ensure the originality and ethical compliance of all published content.

Authorship should be based on substantial intellectual contribution to the study and manuscript preparation. All listed authors must meet internationally accepted authorship criteria and must have made meaningful contributions to the conception or design of the work; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; and/or the drafting or critical revision of the manuscript.

All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work, including the accuracy and integrity of the content. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all eligible contributors are appropriately included as authors and that no individuals who do not meet authorship criteria are listed.

The journal requires a clear and transparent statement of author contributions, preferably using a recognized taxonomy (e.g., CRediT). Contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged appropriately but not listed as authors.

In cases of authorship disputes or suspected misconduct, the Editorial Board will act in accordance with the guidelines and procedures of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

An approval of research protocols by the Ethics Committee in accordance with international agreements (Declaration of Helsinki, 2024 Revision, Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals — https://www.nap.edu/catalog/5140/guide-for-the-care-and-use-of-laboratory-animals) is required for experimental, clinical, and investigational drug studies, and some case reports. In accordance with the most recent official revision of Declaration of Helsinki, the journal adopts participant-centered ethical terminology in all manuscripts. Language referring to individuals involved in research must reflect respect for autonomy, dignity, inclusivity, and human rights. Accordingly, terms such as "research subjects" should be replaced with "research participants," and similar non-instrumental language should be used throughout the manuscript.

All manuscripts reporting research involving human participants must have obtained prior approval from an appropriate and duly constituted Ethics Committee. All human research must be conducted in full accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and in compliance with the ethical standards and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

If Ethics Committee approval is waived, authors must provide documented approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or an equivalent authoritative body, clearly stating the reason for the waiver. The ethics approval or waiver information must be explicitly stated in the manuscript. Manuscripts that do not meet these ethical requirements will not be considered for review.

All articles reporting research involving human participants must include a clear statement confirming that written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study. For case reports, case series, and clinical images, authors must confirm that informed consent was obtained from each patient and/or their legal representatives. The following statement (or equivalent wording) must be included in the manuscript:

Authors must ensure that no identifying information (including names, initials, hospital numbers, facial images, or other personal data) is disclosed in text, images, or supplementary materials. If identification cannot be fully avoided, explicit written permission for publication must be obtained and stated. Manuscripts that do not include an appropriate informed consent statement will not be considered for publication.

Information regarding patient informed consent, the name of the Ethics Committee, and the Ethics Committee approval date and number must be clearly stated in the Patients and Methods section of the manuscript.

Authors are responsible for strictly protecting patient anonymity. Identifying information must not be included unless it is essential for scientific purposes and explicit permission has been obtained.

For photographs or images that may reveal the identity of a patient, a signed consent form from the patient and/or his or her legal representative must be obtained and submitted with the manuscript.

In cases of suspected ethical misconduct, including plagiarism or duplicate publication, the Editorial Board will act in accordance with the principles and procedures of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The journal recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools are increasingly used in scientific research, data analysis, language editing, and manuscript preparation. To ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance with international publishing standards, authors must adhere to the following policies regarding the use of AI technologies:

All authors are required to disclose any use of AI tools during the preparation of their manuscript. An Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclosure Statement must be included after the Funding and Conflict of Interest sections.

AI tools may be used for tasks such as language editing, data analysis, figure creation, or text generation. Authors must clearly specify which parts of the work were assisted by AI and describe the nature and extent of its use.

All scientific content, data interpretation, and conclusions are the sole responsibility of the authors. AI tools must not be used to generate or "hallucinate" references; all references must be carefully verified by the authors.

Authors who use AI tools in the writing of a manuscript, production of images or graphical elements of the paper, or in the collection and analysis of data, must be transparent in disclosing in the Materials and Methods (or similar section) of the paper how the AI tool was used and which tool was used.

The journal is fully committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and editorial integrity. All editorial processes, including manuscript evaluation, peer review, publication decisions, and post-publication actions, are conducted in accordance with the principles, core practices, and flowcharts of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to adhere to COPE guidelines concerning ethical research conduct, authorship, conflicts of interest, data integrity, plagiarism, duplicate publication, and responsible reporting. Non-compliance with these standards may result in editorial actions as outlined below.

The journal recognizes its responsibility to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. Corrections (Errata) may be issued to address errors that do not invalidate the scientific findings of a published article but may affect its clarity, accuracy, or interpretation (e.g., typographical errors, author affiliations, minor data inaccuracies).

Corrections will be published promptly, clearly linked to the original article, and made freely accessible. The decision to issue a correction rests with the Editorial Board, in accordance with COPE recommendations.

A retraction may be issued in cases where the published work is found to be seriously flawed or unreliable due to, but not limited to:

• Research misconduct
• Ethical violations
• Plagiarism
• Duplicate or redundant publication
• Data fabrication or falsification

Retractions are conducted in line with COPE Retraction Guidelines and are intended to correct the literature rather than to punish authors. Retracted articles will remain accessible for the scholarly record but will be clearly identified as retracted.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to take editorial action at any stage, including before or after publication, if ethical concerns arise. Such actions may include, but are not limited to:

• Requests for clarification or documentation from authors
• Publication of an Expression of Concern
• Issuance of corrections or retractions
• Rejection of manuscripts under review
• Notification of authors' institutions or relevant authorities, where appropriate

All editorial actions are guided by COPE principles, ensuring fairness, transparency, and due process.

The journal affirms its ongoing responsibility to protect the integrity of the scientific record. The Editorial Board maintains full editorial independence and reserves the right to act in accordance with ethical standards at all times, even after publication, should new information or concerns come to light.

Joint Diseases and Related Surgery is an open access journal and full texts of all published articles are freely available without embargo since 1990. All expenses and costs related to the journal are covered by article processing charges.

ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGE (APC) to be paid by the AUTHORS of the ACCEPTED ARTICLES for PUBLICATION in the JOURNAL

The authors with accepted articles for publication in the Journal will be required to make a financial contribution. This contribution share will be determined according to the number of pages which the articles cover in the Journal.

It will become:

Turkish Joint Diseases Foundation for publishing and other services:

• These fees are in no way related to the scientific evaluations conducted voluntarily by our journal's editorial board and consultant referees.
• Rejected manuscripts are not considered scientifically suitable for publication in the journal. In line with editorial policy, detailed feedback or further justification beyond the peer review decision may not be provided.