Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic represents one of the most massive health emergencies in the last century and has caused millions of deaths worldwide and a massive economic and social burden. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic—during the Italian lockdown period between 8 March and 4 May 2020—influenced orthopaedic access for traumatic events to the Emergency Department (ER). Methods A retrospective review of the admission to the emergency room and the discharge of the trauma patients’ records was performed during the period between 8 March and 4 May 2020 (block in Italy), compared to the same period of the previous year (2019). Patients accesses, admissions, days of hospitalisation, frequency, fracture site, number and type of surgery, the time between admission and surgery, days of hospitalisation, and treatment cost according to the diagnosis-related group were collected. Chi-Square and ANOVA test were used to compare the groups. Results No significant statistical difference was found for the number of emergency room visits and orthopaedic hospitalisations (p