Twenty-year national trends in finger fracture epidemiology: Declining incidence, demographic disparities, and digit-specific injury patterns

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Finger fractures are common upper extremity injuries with significant functional and socioeconomic impacts.
• Limited data exists on longitudinal trends, digit-specific patterns, and demographic differences in finger fracture mechanisms in the US.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze national trends in finger fracture incidence from 2004 to 2023.
• To identify digit-specific patterns and injury mechanisms across different demographic groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database (2004-2023).
• Identification of finger fracture cases using diagnosis codes and narrative keyword filtering for affected digits.
• Analysis of demographic variables, injury mechanisms, and annual incidence rates using linear regression and Odds Ratios.

Main Results:

• An estimated 3,693,924 finger fractures occurred, with an average annual incidence of 59.0 per 100,000 person-years.
• Males accounted for 65.4% of cases (2:1 male-to-female ratio).
• Thumb (26.43%) and little finger (26.14%) were most common. Football and basketball were leading causes. A 46% decline in ED finger fracture rates was observed (p < .01), primarily in younger age groups.

Conclusions:

• A significant longitudinal decline in US emergency department finger fracture incidence was observed over two decades.
• Findings underscore the need for age- and activity-specific prevention strategies.
• Continued surveillance and targeted interventions are crucial to reduce the burden of finger fractures, especially in vulnerable populations.