15 years of tracking physiotherapy evidence on PEDro, where are we now?
Open accessAbstract
Healthcare systems across the globe have begun the transition to evidence-based practice. The degree to which the transition has occurred can be debated but, it is underpinned by a large and rapidly growing volume of research. However, this research is only useful if it is reliable, comprehensive and accessible. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro; http://www.pedro.org.au) recently celebrated 15 years of existence. PEDro is a free resource that indexes published randomised controlled trials (RCT), systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines relevant to physiotherapy. The first physiotherapy RCT was published in 1929 and the first physiotherapy systematic review in 1982. Since then there has been exponential growth in the number of published RCTs and systematic reviews relevant to physiotherapy (figure 1). This editorial reflects on what PEDro tells us about the evidence base for physiotherapy and sports physiotherapy in particular. Figure 1 Growth in the number of published randomised controlled trials (RCTs), reviews and guidelines indexed on PEDro. As of October 2014, PEDro indexes 23 049 RCTs, 5039 systematic reviews and 512 clinical practice guidelines. The largest number of studies are in the musculoskeletal subdiscipline (7676), followed by cardiothoracics (5334) and gerontology (4105). This volume of studies and the ongoing increase in rate of publication points to a substantial commitment to physiotherapy research. There are 1325 sports physiotherapy studies (1098 RCTs, 222 systematic reviews and 5 practice guidelines); this is the second lowest of the 10 subdisciplines. The low number of studies is surprising given the high profile of sports physiotherapy. The rate of publications …
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The PEDro rating scale was applied to assess the risk of bias (internal validity) for the RCTs.
“The PEDro rating scale, widely used in physical therapy and rehabilitation science [29, 30], was applied to assess the risk of bias (internal validity) for the RCTs.”
From International urogynecology consultation chapter 3 committee 2; conservative treatment of patient with pelvic organ prolapse: Pelvic floor muscle training (2022) · cites this paper as [29]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions: Cochrane Book Series
(2008) · doi:10.1002/9780470712184 · Cited by 25,048 · see citing works
Reliability of the PEDro Scale for Rating Quality of Randomized Controlled Trials
Maher, C. G., Sherrington, C., Herbert, R. D., Moseley, A. M., & Elkins, M. (2003) · Physical Therapy · doi:10.1093/ptj/83.8.713 · Cited by 4,808 · see citing works
Self-citationInterventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community
Gillespie, L. D., Robertson, M. C., Gillespie, W. J., Sherrington, C., Gates, S., Clemson, L., & Lamb, S. E. (2012) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd007146.pub3 · Cited by 3,966 · see citing works
Self-citationPulmonary rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
McCarthy, B., Casey, D., Devane, D., Murphy, K., Murphy, E., & Lacasse, Y. (2015) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd003793.pub3 · Cited by 2,643 · see citing works
Effective Exercise for the Prevention of Falls: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Sherrington, C., Whitney, J. C., Lord, S. R., Herbert, R. D., Cumming, R. G., & Close, J. C. T. (2008) · Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.02014.x · Cited by 1,309 · see citing works
Self-citationClinical Trial Registration: A Statement from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
De Angelis, C., Drazen, J. M., Frizelle, F. A., Haug, C., Hoey, J., Horton, R., Kotzin, S., Laine, C., Marusic, A., Overbeke, A. J. P. M., et al. (2004) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejme048225 · Cited by 1,241 · see citing works
Dumoulin, C. L., Hay-Smith, J. E., & Habée-Séguin, G. M. (2014) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd005654.pub3 · Cited by 1,105 · see citing works
Spittle, A. J., Orton, J., Anderson, P. J., Boyd, R. N., & Doyle, L. W. (2015) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd005495.pub4 · Cited by 1,072 · see citing works
Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee
Fransen, M., & McConnell, S. (2008) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd004376.pub2 · Cited by 751 · see citing works
Exercises to prevent lower limb injuries in youth sports: cluster randomised controlled trial
Olsen, O.-E., Myklebust, G., Engebretsen, L., Holme, I., & Bahr, R. (2005) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.38330.632801.8f · Cited by 731 · see citing works
Intention-to-Treat Analysis: Implications for Quantitative and Qualitative Research
NEWELL, D. J. (1992) · International Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/ije/21.5.837 · Cited by 715 · see citing works
Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Troosters, T., Casaburi, R. H., Gosselink, R., & Decramer, M. (2005) · American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine · doi:10.1164/rccm.200408-1109so · Cited by 644 · see citing works
Lacasse, Y., Martín, S., Lasserson, T., & Goldstein, R. S. (2007) · PubMed · Cited by 558 · see citing works
Bisset, L., Beller, E., Jull, G., Brooks, P., Darnell, R., & Vicenzino, B. (2006) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.38961.584653.ae · Cited by 554 · see citing works
Ultrasound-Guided Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis
Buchbinder, R., Ptasznik, R., Gordon, J., et al. (2002) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.288.11.1364 · Cited by 313 · see citing works
Angelis, C. D., Drazen, J. M., Frizelle, F. A., Haug, C. J., Hoey, J., Horton, R., Kotzin, S., Laine, C. M., Marušić, A., Overbeke, A. J. P. M., et al. (2004) · PubMed · Cited by 275 · see citing works
Spittle, A. J., Orton, J., Anderson, P. J., Boyd, R. N., & Doyle, L. W. (2012) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd005495.pub3 · Cited by 191 · see citing works
Practical Evidence-Based Physiotherapy
(2005) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-7506-8820-8.x5001-6 · Cited by 185 · see citing works
Registration of systematic reviews: PROSPERO
CHIEN, P. F. W., Khan, K. S., & Siassakos, D. M. (2012) · BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology · doi:10.1111/j.1471-0528.2011.03242.x · Cited by 172 · see citing works
Bø, K., & Herbert, R. (2013) · Journal of physiotherapy · doi:10.1016/s1836-9553(13)70180-2 · Cited by 160 · see citing works
Self-citationGrowth in the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and use of the PEDro scale
Elkins, M. R., Moseley, A. M., Sherrington, C., Herbert, R., & Maher, C. G. (2012) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2012-091804 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Self-citationMoseley, A. M., Herbert, R., Maher, C. G., Sherrington, C., & Elkins, M. R. (2010) · Journal of Clinical Epidemiology · doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2010.08.009 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Self-citationPinto, R. Z., Elkins, M. R., Moseley, A. M., Sherrington, C., Herbert, R., Maher, C. G., Ferreira, P. H., & Ferreira, M. L. (2012) · Physical Therapy · doi:10.2522/ptj.20120206 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Self-citationMoseley, A. M., Elkins, M. R., Janer-Duncan, L., & Hush, J. M. (2013) · Physiotherapy Canada · doi:10.3138/ptc.2012-68 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Self-citationHerbert, R., Jamtvedt, G., Hagen, K. B., et al. (2011) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-7020-4270-6.00001-6 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Self-citationCosta, L. O. P., Lin, C. C., Bevilaqua‐Grossi, D., et al. (2012) · Journal of physiotherapy · doi:10.1016/s1836-9553(12)70122-4 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Parreira, P. D. C. S., Costa, L. D. C. M., Takahashi, R. H., et al. (2013) · Journal of physiotherapy · doi:10.1016/s1836-9553(13)70147-4 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Concealed allocation in randomised trials
Elkins, M. R. (2013) · Journal of physiotherapy · doi:10.1016/s1836-9553(13)70174-7 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Self-citationKamper, S. J., Moseley, A. M., & Elkins, M. R. (2013) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2013-092968 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Self-citationProtocol papers published in Journal of Physiotherapy will strengthen the profession
Haines, T. P., & Hush, J. M. (2013) · Journal of physiotherapy · doi:10.1016/s1836-9553(13)70140-1 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Aminov, A., Rogers, J. M., Middleton, S., Caeyenberghs, K., & Wilson, P. H. (2018) · Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation · doi:10.1186/s12984-018-0370-2 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
Bø, K., Anglès-Acedo, S., Batra, A., Brækken, I. H., Chan, Y. L., Jorge, C. H., Kruger, J., Yadav, M., & Dumoulin, C. (2022) · International Urogynecology Journal · doi:10.1007/s00192-022-05324-0 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
“The PEDro rating scale, widely used in physical therapy and rehabilitation science [29, 30], was applied to assess the risk of bias (internal validity) for the RCTs.”
Method
- Authors
- Kamper, S. J., Moseley, A. M., Herbert, R. D., Maher, C. G., Elkins, M. R., & Sherrington, C.
- Affiliations
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Kamper, Steven J
- Venue
- British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2015-04-01
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 14
- Pages
- 907-909
- ISSN
- 0306-3674 (ISSN-L)
- 1473-0480
- OpenAlex
- W2161992044
- Cited by
- 87
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4
- FWCI
- 7.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- British Journal of Sports Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UNSWorks (UNSW Sydney) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- UNSWorks (University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › Meta-analysis and systematic reviews
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Sciences Research and Education
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty › scientometrics and bibliometrics research
- Keywords
- Pedro, physiotherapy research, sports physiotherapy, evidence-based practice, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, research output growth, musculoskeletal research, gerontological research
- MeSH terms
- Forecasting, Humans, Professional Practice, Review Literature as Topic, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Databases, Bibliographic, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Evidence-Based Medicine, Physical Therapy Modalities
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
