Online Search Volume Related to Ulnar Collateral Ligament Repair Has Increased More Rapidly Than Reconstruction Over the Past Decade: A Google Trends Analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate online public interest in ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction and repair from 2015 to 2025 using Google Trends.

METHODS

Relative search volume (RSV) data from searches related to UCL reconstruction and repair from January 2015 to December 2025 were obtained from Google Trends. The 3 search terms related to each procedure with the highest RSV during the study period were included, and individual search term data was averaged for each procedure for analysis. Statistical analysis included linear regression to evaluate changes in RSV over time and analysis of covariance to compare the slopes of the regression lines between UCL reconstruction and UCL repair.

RESULTS

Linear regression showed that public interest in UCL repair increased significantly from 2015 to 2025 (R 2 = 0.68; P = 1.3 × 10-34), while interest in reconstruction showed a more modest but statistically significant increase (R 2 = 0.16; P = 1.8 × 10-6). Analysis of covariance confirmed that the slope of the UCL repair 10-year trend (β = 0.387) was significantly greater than that of UCL reconstruction (β = 0.120; P = 6.1 × 10-7). The percentage increase in mean RSV from 2015 to 2025 was 687% for UCL repair and 87.5% for UCL reconstruction.

CONCLUSIONS

Online search volumes related to UCL repair have increased dramatically over the last decade, far outpacing the growth in online search volumes related to UCL reconstruction.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Given the rapid rise in online interest for UCL repair, the development of high-quality online educational resources may be warranted to ensure that patients receive reliable and evidence-based information regarding surgical options for UCL injuries.