Peer-reviewed article
A national audit of hand injuries in UK.
Konstantinos Devetzis, Jennifer C E Lane, Ella Darveniza, Sara Sousi, Grey Giddins et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This is a clinical audit of hand injuries in UK hospitals comparing patterns before and after COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were lifted. While the study includes some data on children under 16, it is primarily focused on hand injury epidemiology and clinical management across all ages, not on child well-being interventions or outcomes.
Key points
- Hand injuries increased 21% after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted compared to lockdown period
- Sports-related injuries more than doubled from 10.2% to 22.7%
- Only 19% of injuries in children under 16 were deemed preventable
- Preventable injuries overall decreased from 50% to 35%
- Most cases (63%) were managed non-operatively
Limitations
This audit focuses on clinical epidemiology and injury mechanisms rather than child well-being, development, or protection outcomes. Children under 16 represent only a subset of the data and are not the primary population of study.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Hand injuries are a frequent cause of morbidity, with patterns influenced heavily by societal behaviour. This audit investigated hand injuries in the UK occurring after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted (early 2022) and compared them with data from the COVID-19 lockdown period (early 2021). METHODS: A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted across 23 hospitals, with clinicians prospectively recording consecutive hand injuries over a 2-week period (February-March 2022). Eligible cases included referrals to Orthopaedic, Plastic, or Hand surgery services. Data were submitted using a standardised online proforma, and preventability was classified using predefined criteria. RESULTS: 2,309 injuries were recorded from 23 hospitals - a 21% rise. Males made up 60% of cases. Median age was 34, similar to the lockdown period of 40. Sports-related injuries increased (10.2% to 22.7%), while DIY-related injuries declined (8% to 4%). Phalangeal and metacarpal fractures were the most common injuries. Alcohol and drug-related injuries rose from 2.4% to 4.5%. Overall, preventable injuries decreased from 50% to 35%, with only 19% of injuries in children under 16 deemed preventable. Most cases (63%) were managed non-operatively, and 43% required follow-up. CONCLUSION: Following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, hand injuries increased, with a shift toward sports-related mechanisms and fewer preventable injuries. Despite this reduction, preventable injuries remain a substantial public health concern, highlighting opportunities for targeted safety interventions.