Evaluating characteristics and academic influence of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons' Charles S. Neer award-winning research studies.

Background: Since 1985, the Charles S. Neer Award has been granted annually by The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) society to recognize the highest level of clinical and basic science research contributing to the understanding, care, or prevention of shoulder injuries. This study evaluates the characteristics and impact of Neer Award-winning conference abstracts and their corresponding authors on the field of shoulder surgery over time. Methods: Conference abstracts that received the Charles S. Neer Award at the ASES Annual Meeting between the award's inception in 1985 through 2024 were reviewed. Online medical databases were queried for matching publications and evaluated for study type, level of evidence, citation count, and time to publication. The h-indices of corresponding authors were also recorded. Subanalyses were conducted comparing characteristics of Neer Award manuscripts over time by dividing the studies into 2 time periods (Early: 1985-2004; Contemporary: 2005-2024). Results: Of the 81 Neer-awarded abstracts, 74 manuscripts (29 basic science; 45 clinical) were published as of February 2025 (91.4%). Of the clinical studies, 16 (35.6%) were cohort studies, 13 (28.9%) were case series, 14 (31.1%) were randomized controlled trials, and 2 (4.4%) were cross-sectional studies. The median level of evidence was Level III, with a shift toward higher levels of evidence over time. The mean number of citations per publication was 246.6 (range: 0-711) and corresponding authors had an average h-index of 48.2. Content analysis revealed rotator cuff pathology (34.2%), shoulder arthroplasty (30.1%), and shoulder instability (20.3%) to be the most common areas of focus. While the percentage of award-winning studies pertaining to rotator cuff injuries remained relatively consistent across time periods (31.4% vs. 36.8%), shoulder instability studies reduced by a factor of 2.90 (30.5% vs. 10.5%) and shoulder arthroplasty studies increased by a factor of 3.1 (14.3% vs. 44.7%). Most recently, shoulder arthroplasty infection (15.8%), rotator cuff recovery (13.2%), and shoulder arthroplasty implant design (10.4%) have become the most represented research domains. Conclusion: Studies recognized with the Charles S. Neer Award from the ASES are most commonly performed at academic institutions by authors from diverse geographic locations with an extensive history of research productivity. Published manuscripts exhibit significant academic influence through a high number of literature citations and have been associated with higher levels of evidence over time. Topics pertaining to shoulder arthroplasty, including infection and implant design, have garnered increasing recognition among Neer Award-winning studies.