Bibliometric analysis of the Journal of Arthroscopic Surgery and Sports Medicine publications since inception

Objectives: The objective of the study is to analyze the publication output, citation patterns, authorship trends, subspecialty distribution, and article-category impact of JASSM publications from 2020 to 2026. Materials and Methods: A bibliometric analysis was performed using Google Scholar and journal website citation data for all indexed JASSM articles published between 2020 and 2026. Duplicate records were removed, yielding 209 articles for analysis. Citation metrics, h-index, article categories, subspecialties, and authorship trends were evaluated. Subspecialty classification was performed using title- and abstract-based keyword matching. Results: JASSM published 209 articles that accumulated 502 citations, with a mean of 2.40 citations/article, a median of 1 citation/article, and a journal h-index of 11. Thirteen articles met the i10-index threshold, while 48.8% remained uncited. Articles published in 2020–2021 accounted for 70% of all citations. Knee-related topics dominated publication volume, whereas posterior cruciate ligament, meniscus, and multiligament knee articles achieved the highest mean citation rates. Narrative reviews/current-concepts articles and cadaveric/biomechanical studies demonstrated the greatest citation impact. The most-cited article, “Meniscal root tears: Solving the silent epidemic,” received 66 citations. Conclusion: JASSM demonstrates steady growth and developing scholarly influence. Citation impact is driven primarily by high-quality review articles and focused knee soft-tissue topics. Strategic commissioning of invited reviews, systematic reviews, and higher-level clinical studies, alongside improved indexing and Digital Object Identifier integration, may further enhance the journal’s visibility and citation performance.