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Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.
775 questions in 58 reviews · Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma
current versionsNo studies 166 · 21.4%Ungraded 24 · 3.1%Very low 356 · 45.9%Low 162 · 20.9%Moderate 47 · 6.1%High 20 · 2.6%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
| Question | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Supervised exercises vs home exercises Pain during activity (long‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 2 months (1 study); not stated (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Supervised exercises vs home exercises Usual pain (long‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 2 months (1 study); not stated (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 31 participants | Very low |
Supervised exercises vs home exercises Functional ability (short‐term) AKPS (0 to 100; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 2 months (1 study); not stated (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 18 participants | Very low |
Supervised exercises vs home exercises Functional ability (long‐term) FIQ (number of patients in top (best function) category 13 to 16) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 2 months (1 study); not stated (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | RR 1.34 [0.89, 2.03] | 1 study · 31 participants | Very low |
Supervised exercises vs home exercises Recovery (long‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 2 months (1 study); not stated (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Closed kinetic chain exercises vs open kinetic chain exercises Pain during activity (short‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 4 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 6 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 8… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | MD 0.03 | 2 studies · 90 participants | Very low |
Closed kinetic chain exercises vs open kinetic chain exercises Usual pain (short‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 4 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 6 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 8… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | MD 0.2 | 3 studies · 122 participants | Very low |
Closed kinetic chain exercises vs open kinetic chain exercises Pain during activity (long‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 4 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 6 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 8… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | MD 2.1 [1.08, 3.12] | 1 study · 49 participants | Very low |
Closed kinetic chain exercises vs open kinetic chain exercises Usual pain (long‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 4 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 6 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 8… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | MD 0.8 [0.07, 1.53] | 1 study · 49 participants | Very low |
Closed kinetic chain exercises vs open kinetic chain exercises Functional ability (short‐term) AKPS (0 to 100; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 4 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 6 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 8… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 90 participants | Very low |
Exercise therapy vs a control strategy (no treatment, placebo or waiting list controls) Usual pain (short‐term) Scale (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 3 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 41 participants | Very low |
Closed kinetic chain exercises vs open kinetic chain exercises Functional ability (long‐term) AKPS (0 to 100; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 4 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 6 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 8… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 49 participants | Very low |
Closed kinetic chain exercises vs open kinetic chain exercises Recovery (long‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 4 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 6 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 8… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Target of exercise: hip + knee vs knee exercises Pain during activity (short‐term) Scale (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2 months (1 study); symptoms >… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 104 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip + knee vs knee exercises Usual pain (short‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2 months (1 study); symptoms >… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 46 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip + knee vs knee exercises Pain during activity (long‐term) NPRS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2 months (1 study); symptoms >… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 49 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip + knee vs knee exercises Usual pain (long‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2 months (1 study); symptoms >… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Target of exercise: hip + knee vs knee exercises Functional ability (short‐term) Scale (0 to 100; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2 months (1 study); symptoms >… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | SMD 0.61 | 4 studies · 174 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip + knee vs knee exercises Functional ability (long‐term) Scale (0 to 100; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2 months (1 study); symptoms >… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | SMD 1.49 | 2 studies · 78 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip + knee vs knee exercises Recovery long‐term Number of patients at least moderately better · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2 months (1 study); symptoms >… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | RR 1.34 [0.93, 1.94] | 1 study · 29 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip vs knee exercises Pain during activity (short‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (1 study); symptoms > 6 months (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 36 participants | Very low |
Exercise therapy vs a control strategy (no treatment, placebo or waiting list controls) Pain during activity (long‐term) Scale (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 3 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 180 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip vs knee exercises Usual pain (short‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (1 study); symptoms > 6 months (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Target of exercise: hip vs knee exercises Pain during activity (long‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (1 study); symptoms > 6 months (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 36 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip vs knee exercises Usual pain (long‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (1 study); symptoms > 6 months (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Target of exercise: hip vs knee exercises Functional ability (short‐term) Scale (0 to 100; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (1 study); symptoms > 6 months (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | SMD 0.85 [0.3, 1.4] | 2 studies · 58 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip vs knee exercises Functional ability (long‐term) WOMAC (0 to 96; inverted scores so that higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (1 study); symptoms > 6 months (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | MD 16.22 [9.17, 23.27] | 1 study · 36 participants | Very low |
Target of exercise: hip vs knee exercises Recovery (long‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 1 month (1 study); symptoms > 6 months (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
High‐intensity vs low‐intensity exercise programmes Pain during activity (short‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (untreated PFPS of over 2 months in duration) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
High‐intensity vs low‐intensity exercise programmes Usual pain (short‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (untreated PFPS of over 2 months in duration) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 40 participants | Very low |
High‐intensity vs low‐intensity exercise programmes Pain during activity long‐term · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (untreated PFPS of over 2 months in duration) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
High‐intensity vs low‐intensity exercise programmes Usual pain (long‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (untreated PFPS of over 2 months in duration) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 28 participants | Very low |
Exercise therapy vs a control strategy (no treatment, placebo or waiting list controls) Usual pain (long‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 3 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 94 participants | Very low |
High‐intensity vs low‐intensity exercise programmes Functional ability (short‐term) FIQ modified (0 to 16; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (untreated PFPS of over 2 months in duration) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | MD 3.7 [1.59, 5.81] | 1 study · 40 participants | Very low |
High‐intensity vs low‐intensity exercise programmes Functional ability (long‐term) FIQ modified (0 to 16; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (untreated PFPS of over 2 months in duration) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | MD 3.9 [1.72, 6.08] | 1 study · 28 participants | Very low |
High‐intensity vs low‐intensity exercise programmes Recovery (long‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (untreated PFPS of over 2 months in duration) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Exercise therapy vs a control strategy (no treatment, placebo or waiting list controls) Functional ability (short‐term) Scale (0 to 100; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 3 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | SMD 1.1 [0.58, 1.63] | 7 studies · 483 participants | Very low |
Exercise therapy vs a control strategy (no treatment, placebo or waiting list controls) Functional ability (long‐term) Scale (0 to 100; higher scores mean better function) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 3 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | SMD 1.62 [0.31, 2.94] | 3 studies · 274 participants | Very low |
Exercise therapy vs a control strategy (no treatment, placebo or waiting list controls) Recovery (long‐term) Number of patients who had recovered or number of patients no longer troubled by symptoms · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 3 weeks (1 study); symptoms > 1 month (3 studies); symptoms > 2… Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | RR 1.35 [0.99, 1.84] | 2 studies · 166 participants | Very low |
Supervised exercises vs home exercises Pain during activity (short‐term) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 2 months (1 study); not stated (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Supervised exercises vs home exercises Usual pain (short‐term) VAS (0 to 10; higher scores mean worse pain) · patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (symptoms > 2 months (1 study); not stated (1 study)) Exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 59 participants | Very low |
Summary of findings: Knee orthosis (any type) and exercise vs control (exercise only) Pain score (VAS) Scale from: 0 to 10 (higher scores mean worse pain) · Adults (recruited from health clinics or military recruits) with PFPS (duration of symptoms ranged from acute, under 2… Knee orthoses for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 234 participants | Very low |
Summary of findings: Knee orthosis (any type) and exercise vs control (exercise only) Functional outcomes Scale various 2 · Adults (recruited from health clinics or military recruits) with PFPS (duration of symptoms ranged from acute, under 2… Knee orthoses for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 183 participants | Very low |
Summary of findings: Knee orthosis (any type) and exercise vs control (exercise only) Quality of Life and General Health Assessments · Adults (recruited from health clinics or military recruits) with PFPS (duration of symptoms ranged from acute, under 2… Knee orthoses for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Summary of findings: Knee orthosis (any type) and exercise vs control (exercise only) Impact on sporting and occupational participation · Adults (recruited from health clinics or military recruits) with PFPS (duration of symptoms ranged from acute, under 2… Knee orthoses for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 51 participants | Very low |
Summary of findings: Knee orthosis (any type) and exercise vs control (exercise only) Resource use · Adults (recruited from health clinics or military recruits) with PFPS (duration of symptoms ranged from acute, under 2… Knee orthoses for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Summary of findings: Knee orthosis (any type) and exercise vs control (exercise only) Participant satisfaction · Adults (recruited from health clinics or military recruits) with PFPS (duration of symptoms ranged from acute, under 2… Knee orthoses for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Summary of findings: Knee orthosis (any type) and exercise vs control (exercise only) Complications · Adults (recruited from health clinics or military recruits) with PFPS (duration of symptoms ranged from acute, under 2… Knee orthoses for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 59 participants | Very low |
Summary of findings: whole‐body cryotherapy (WBC) vs control (no WBC or passive rest) Muscle soreness: pain at rest (VAS) · physically‐active adults partaking in exercise designed to produce delayed onset muscle soreness (most trial… Whole‐body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after… (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 20 participants | Very low |
Summary of findings: whole‐body cryotherapy (WBC) vs control (no WBC or passive rest) Muscle soreness: pain at rest (VAS) · physically‐active adults partaking in exercise designed to produce delayed onset muscle soreness (most trial… Whole‐body cryotherapy (extreme cold air exposure) for preventing and treating muscle soreness after… (2015) · Cochrane | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 38 participants | Very low |