Diagnostic labels used by health professionals for patellofemoral pain: A cross-sectional online survey

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To explore what diagnostic labels are commonly used by health professionals in managing patellofemoral pain (PFP), to investigate management preferences for PFP, and whether imaging findings, patient characteristics, and clinicians' expertise influence the diagnostic labels used by health professionals for PFP. METHOD: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey of health professionals with experience in managing knee pain to explore what diagnostic labels health professionals use for PFP. Demographic and outcome data were summarised using descriptive statistics. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore whether years of experience and clinicians' expertise influence the use of diagnostic labels. RESULTS: 156 participants provided data for our primary outcome (use of diagnostic labels) and 139 completed the survey. The most used diagnostic labels for PFP were 'patellofemoral pain' (83 %), 'anterior knee pain and/or syndrome' (54 %), and 'patellofemoral pain syndrome' (44 %). The most common management strategies for PFP included exercise therapy (98 %), patient education (85 %), manual therapy (63 %), and patellar taping (58 %). Around one-third of health professionals would modify their diagnosis of PFP if imaging found a meniscal tear (37 %) or inflamed bursa/fat pad (38 %). Health professionals with self-reported excellent/good diagnostic skills or who had more years of experience were less likely to change their label based on imaging findings. CONCLUSION: Health professionals' use of diagnostic labels and management strategies for PFP mostly align with current recommendations. More research is needed to investigate the relationship between diagnostic labels and patients' management preferences, and the reasons for health professionals' choice of diagnostic labels for PFP.