Bibliometric analysis of the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery: citation trends, evidence levels, and scholarly impact

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Background: is a leading publication for upper-extremity research; however, no comprehensive bibliometric evaluation of its most influential work has been performed. This study aimed to identify the most-cited articles and authors in JSES and to analyze trends in evidence level, study design, and authorship characteristics. Methods: publications from 1992 to 2024. The 20 most-cited articles and 100 most-cited authors were assessed for citation impact, article type, evidence level, author demographics, and relative citation index. Authorship patterns were analyzed across first, last, and any author positions. Results: publications, 606 articles (8.5%) had ≥100 citations. The top 20 articles received 495-1,441 citations and were all clinical studies, most commonly Level II (55%) and Level IV (30%). The most-cited article was "A standardized method for the assessment of shoulder function" (1,441 citations). Gilles Walch (France) was the most-cited author overall (10,908 citations), while John W. Sperling (USA) was the most prolific (134 publications). U.S.-based authors represented the majority of highly cited contributors, followed by France and Switzerland, while female and non-Western authors remained underrepresented. Conclusion: publications are predominantly mid-level evidence of clinical studies, reflecting the practical nature of upper-extremity research and challenges in conducting randomized trials. Authorship trends show both increasing participation and broad international involvement. Improving study quality and continuing to broaden global representation are key priorities for future scholarship.