Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
10:10
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
43.8K
Consumer Interest in Shoulder Replacement Surgery: A Google Trends Analysis From 2013 to 2023
Radhika Gupta1, Ryan Lopez, Holt S Cutler
1From the Perelman School of Medicine (Ms. Gupta and Dr. Lopez), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (Dr. Cutler and Dr. Horneff), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Summary
Consumer interest in shoulder replacement surgery has significantly increased over the last decade. This trend is particularly notable for reverse shoulder replacement, with specific geographic areas showing higher search volumes.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Biomedical Engineering
- Public Health
Background:
- Shoulder replacement procedures, including reverse shoulder arthroplasty, have seen rapid growth.
- While industry interest is documented, consumer interest in shoulder replacement remains uninvestigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify consumer interest in shoulder replacement surgery using Google Trends data.
- To analyze trends in search queries related to shoulder arthritis and shoulder replacement from 2013 to 2023.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Google Trends to analyze search inquiry data from 2013 to 2023.
- Examined primary terms: "shoulder arthritis," "shoulder replacement," "total shoulder replacement."
- Investigated secondary terms: "reverse shoulder replacement," "reverse total shoulder replacement," and geographic search patterns.
Main Results:
- Significant increases in Search Volume Index (SVI) observed for all terms (P < 0.001).
- Reverse shoulder replacement SVI grew 24.6% faster than general shoulder replacement.
- High correlations (R2) found between SVI and time for all analyzed search terms.
Conclusions:
- Demonstrates a substantial rise in public interest in shoulder replacement surgery over the past decade.
- Identifies specific geographic "hot spots" of consumer interest for shoulder replacement.
- Provides valuable data for patient education and treatment planning for shoulder replacement surgery.
