Bibliometric Analysis of Foreign Orthopaedics Research in the Indian Journal of Orthopaedics (2007–2024): Trends, Impact and International Collaboration

This bibliometric study comprehensively analyzed 1,281 foreign publications of the Indian Journal of Orthopaedics (IJO) from 2007 to 2024. The findings reveal a significant surge in international engagement, with a 105.0% absolute growth rate in cumulative foreign publications between the 2007–2015 and 2016–2024 periods. Foreign contributions exhibited a higher average citation rate (8.75 citations per paper) than the overall journal average of 8.39, indicating substantial impact. Geographically, Asian countries, specifically China, Turkey, and South Korea, were the leading contributors by volume. However, North American nations (USA and Canada) demonstrated superior citation impact, with Canada achieving the highest rate at 15.52 citations per paper. Thematic analysis identified ‘Trauma, Fracture and Dislocation’ and ‘Arthroplasty and Joint Replacement’ as the predominant research areas. A notable surge in COVID-19-related publications was observed between 2019 and 2024. Key influential entities include McMaster University and author M. Bhandari. Only 6.79% of foreign documents received external funding, suggesting a need for increased support for international research. Overall, the IJO has cemented its status as a vital global platform for impactful orthopaedic research.