Characteristics | Trial entry assessment | Follow-up assessment | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
MRI referral (n = 279) | Orthopaedic referral (n = 274) | MRI referral (n = 279) | Orthopaedic referral (n = 266) | |
Mean age, years (SD) | 40.1 (9.9) | 39.1 (10.5) | 40.2 (10.0) | 39.4 (10.6) |
Sex, n (%) | ||||
Male | 185 (66) | 165 (60) | 185 (66) | 159 (60) |
Female | 94 (34) | 109 (40) | 94 (34) | 107 (40) |
Diagnostic category, n (%) | ||||
Meniscal injury | 224 (80) | 210 (77) | 154 (55) | 124 (45) |
Ligamentous injury | 87 (31) | 82 (30) | 61 (22) | 59 (22) |
Other diagnosisa,b | 5 (2) | 9 (3) | 76 (27) | 77 (30) |
No diagnosis | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 14 (5) | 27 (10) |
Treatment category, n (%) | ||||
Orthopaedic management | 279 (100) | 274 (100) | 195 (70) | 149 (56) |
Quadriceps exercises | 82 (29) | 71 (26) | 48 (17) | 28 (10) |
Physiotherapy | 114 (41) | 101 (37) | 81 (29) | 85 (32) |
Analgesics | 151 (54) | 138 (50) | 49 (18) | 28 (10) |
Tubigrip | 36 (13) | 41 (15) | 4 (1) | 2 (1) |
Nothing | 47 (17) | 60 (22) | 23 (8) | 42 (16) |
Other,c,d | 11 (4) | 6 (2) | 11 (4) | 23 (8) |
Median number of days from trial entry to intervention (range) | N/A | N/A | 41 (21–71) | 79 (54–168) |
Median number of days from intervention to completion of follow up forms (range) | N/A | N/A | 42 (26–61) | 54 (30–112) |
↵a Other diagnosis at trial entry: loose body, patella femoral problem, osteoarthritis, Baker's cyst, patellar ligament injury, worn meniscus.
↵b Other diagnosis at follow-up: fracture, arthropathy, symptoms settled, bone bruise, soft tissue injury, semimembranous bursae, chondromalacia, prepatellar bursitis, patellofemoral problem, patellar tendonitis, osteomyelitis, osteochondritis, loose body, muscular imbalance, ganglion, capsulitis, meniscal cyst, inflammatory symptoms, haemarthrosis, degenerate meniscus, chondrocalcinosis.
↵c Other treatment at trial entry: steroid injection, complementary therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, advice, knee support.
↵d Other treatment at follow-up: weight loss, specialist referral, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) referral, awaiting review, knee support, steroid injection, acupuncture. N/A = not applicable.