Search trends of orthopedic terms in Turkey: a five-year time series analysis based on Google Trends

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to analyze digital search trends related to ten commonly used orthopedic terms in Turkey using Google Trends data. The objective was to investigate temporal variations and seasonal patterns in public interest regarding orthopedic health topics.

Methods: Weekly search data from the Turkish region between May 2020 and May 2025 were obtained via Google Trends. The analyzed terms included meniscus, scoliosis, trigger finger, anterior cruciate ligament, hallux valgus, knee arthroplasty, hip arthroplasty, heel spur, carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis. Using the Python programming language, time series analyses were conducted to identify seasonal trends and peak search weeks.

Results: The terms scoliosis and heel spur demonstrated the highest search popularity. Notably, scoliosis-related searches peaked during the summer months, while heel spur queries increased during the autumn. An upward trend in searches for sports related terms such as meniscus was observed during late summer and early fall. Conversely, search volumes for knee and hip arthroplasty, conditions typically associated with older age groups, remained relatively low, potentially reflecting lower digital health literacy among the elderly. Trigger finger was identified as the term with the lowest overall search popularity.

Conclusions: Digital search behaviors related to orthopedic terms in Turkey exhibit temporal variation and seasonal patterns. These findings may inform the timing and strategic planning of public health awareness campaigns. Digital data sources such as Google Trends may serve as effective tools in health communication and digital epidemiology.