Care of the shoulder and elbow region has been documented for centuries, from early anatomical observations to detailed study during the Renaissance. Foundational contributions by Leonardo da Vinci and Andreas Vesalius advanced the understanding of musculoskeletal structure.

In the twentieth century, key figures, including Ernest Amory Codman and Frederick Merwin Smith, established important clinical frameworks for shoulder and elbow surgery. Organized scientific exchange began to take shape with meetings such as the 1960 Symposium on Surgery of the Shoulder Region.

By the 1970s and 1980s, surgeons formed national and regional societies, established journals, and expanded fellowship training. These developments contributed to the formalization of the field and the growth of international collaboration.

The establishment of the International Congress on Surgery of the Shoulder in 1980 and the formation of IBSES in 1992 provided a structured framework for global coordination.

Founding Leadership. IBSES was established in 1992 by an international group of leaders in shoulder and elbow surgery, including Charles Neer, Robert Cofield, Stephen Copeland, Hiro Fukuda, Michael Mansat, and Martti Vastamäki, among others. Their collaboration formalized a global structure for coordination across regional societies and helped define the role of IBSES in guiding international engagement within the field.

Advances in osteosynthesis, arthroplasty, and arthroscopy, combined with improvements in imaging and rehabilitation, have supported consistent standards in clinical care.

Today, shoulder and elbow surgery is a defined area within orthopedics, supported by an international network of societies, meetings, and academic exchange. IBSES is composed of representatives from major national and regional shoulder and elbow societies, providing a structured framework for international collaboration and governance across the field.