Diagnostic criteria for patellofemoral pain syndrome: a scoping review protocol

BackgroundKnee pain is a frequent cause of mobility limitation and worsening quality of life. There are several atraumatic musculoskeletal disorders clinically presenting with knee pain and among them, there is patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). According to the biopsychosocial approach, it is important to consider other factors and the whole person besides the anatomical structure. A specific diagnosis is important when a macroscopic damage is present and can be investigated with accurate test and diagnostic imaging. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of clinical tests and imaging commonly used in clinical practice to identify the aforementioned atraumatic knee pathology. Inclusion criteriaStudies considering patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) diagnosis and, in particular, studies concerning the diagnosis of this disorder in a rehabilitation and medical setting, will be included. MethodsThis review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. Medline, Scopus, Pedro will be searched. In addition, other records will be identified searching grey literature. Limits regarding year of publication will not applied. Secondary research studies will be excluded and only English studies will be included. Two reviewers will independently screen all studies for inclusion and disagreements will be resolved by a third author. A data collection table will be developed by the researchers and a narrative and graphical synthesis of the results will be presented. ConclusionThis scoping review will be the first presenting an overview of criteria used for the diagnosis of the PFPS. The results will help clinicians to consider the role of clinical tests and imaging in the framing of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).