Trends in Abstracts Presented at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting: 2017–2023

Submission Type: Other Research Type: Level 5 - Case report, Expert opinion, Personal observation Introduction/Purpose: As one of the leading global conferences in foot and ankle surgery, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Annual Meeting attracts cutting-edge research from around the world. This annual event serves as a pivotal platform for presenting novel advancements and emerging trends in the field. The objective of this study is to analyze trends in abstracts presented at the AOFAS Annual Meeting from 2017 to 2023. We aim to identify shifts in research focus and topic prevalence, providing insights into the evolving landscape of foot and ankle surgery research. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of the Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics (FAO) and Foot & Ankle International (FAI) journals to identify issues containing the AOFAS Annual Meeting Abstracts from 2017 to 2023. We extracted data on article titles, authors, categories, and keywords. This data was analyzed to determine the distribution of articles across different categories and to identify the frequency of specific terms in titles based on a pre-developed term list. Trends were assessed to evaluate variations in category representation and keyword usage over the years. Results: The analysis identified key trends in research categories and terms from AOFAS Annual Meeting abstracts between 2017 and 2023. Ankle-related topics consistently ranked first annually. Trauma was the second most common category in 2017 and 2019, while ankle arthritis was second in 2018. From 2020, midfoot/forefoot research rose in prominence, securing the second spot through 2023. Outcomes-related terms were most frequent, with arthroplasty and imaging appearing in five of the seven years analyzed. Arthritis, second in 2017, was no longer in the top five by 2023. Terms like calcaneus, arthrodesis, syndesmosis, and hallux valgus/bunion consistently appeared in the top five. The proportion of systematic reviews or meta-analyses increased from 8.72% (2017-2020) to 15.22% (2021-2023), indicating a greater focus on high-level evidence. Conclusion: The trends in AOFAS Annual Meeting abstracts from 2017 to 2023 reflect the evolving focus of foot and ankle surgery research. Ankle-related topics consistently dominate, underscoring their importance in clinical practice and innovation. Trauma remains prominent, while the rise in midfoot/forefoot research suggests advancing treatments in these areas. Key terms such as arthroplasty and imaging also gained prominence, reflecting growing interest in advanced procedures and diagnostic techniques. Notably, the increased presence of systematic reviews and meta-analyses highlights a shift toward higher-level evidence. These trends suggest a broadening scope of research beyond ankle conditions toward a wider range of foot pathologies.