Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40988010›Full record

Trial reportBMC musculoskeletal disorders2025

Long-term physical activity in middle-aged patients with meniscal symptoms: a 10-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial comparing exercise therapy alone to knee arthroscopic surgery plus exercise therapy.

Sofi Sonesson, Roman Peter Kuster, Håkan Gauffin, Joanna Kvist

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled TrialComparative Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01288768 (Is a Knee Arthroscopy of Any Benefit for the Middleaged Patient With Meniscal Symptoms?), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT01288768 nacompletednot on this map

Is a Knee Arthroscopy of Any Benefit for the Middleaged Patient With Meniscal Symptoms?

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity Hospital, LinkoepingRan2010 to 2013Enrolled150ConditionsChronic Meniscus InjuryArmsKnee arthroscopy
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Sofi SonessonUnit of Physiotherapy, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Campus US, entrance 78, level 15, Linköping, S-581 83, Sweden. sofi.sonesson@liu.se.
Roman Peter KusterTherapy Science Lab, Lake Lucerne Institute, Vitznau, Switzerland.
Håkan GauffinDepartment of Orthopedics and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Joanna KvistUnit of Physiotherapy, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Campus US, entrance 78, level 15, Linköping, S-581 83, Sweden.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhysical activity levels in individuals with a degenerative meniscus lesion and the impact of different treatment approaches remain unclear. The purpose was to compare sensor-based measurements of physical activity and self-reported physical activity at 10-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial between individuals with meniscal symptoms allocated to (1) exercise therapy or (2) knee arthroscopy combined with exercise therapy, and to analyse correlations between physical activity and a) patient-reported outcomes, b) functional performance.

methodsPatients aged 45 to 64 years with meniscal symptoms were randomised to exercise therapy (non-surgery group), or knee arthroscopy combined with exercise therapy (surgery group). The physical activity of 62 patients (30 in non-surgery group and 32 in surgery group) was assessed using an activPAL accelerometer for 7 days and the Physical Activity Scale at the 10-year follow-up. Patients answered the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and EuroQol quality of Life assessment. Functional performance was assessed with the 30-second chair stand test. Intention-to-treat was the primary analytic approach.

resultsAccelerometer-assessed physical activity did not differ between treatment groups. High to moderate physical activity was more frequently reported in the non-surgery group compared to the surgery group (66% vs. 34%, p = .015) (Intention-to-treat). As-treated analysis showed no group differences. Accelerometer measured steps per day and self-reported physical activity correlated positively with the 30-second chair stand test (r = .336, p = .008; r = .423, p < .001). Self-reported physical activity correlated positively with KOOSPAIN, KOOSADL and KOOSSPORT r = .259 − .375, p ≤ .044).

conclusionsSensor-based physical activity levels did not differ between the treatment groups. However, higher self-reported physical activity was associated with less pain and better function in daily activities as well as in sports and recreational pursuits. Furthermore, participants who walked more steps per day and reported higher levels of physical activity demonstrated better functional performance. These findings highlight the importance of promoting physical activity in this population to enhance knee health and overall quality of life.

trial registrationClinical Trials NCT01288768, retrospectively registered 2011-02-01.

Indexed as

ArthroscopyExerciseExercise TherapyMenisci, TibialTibial Meniscus InjuriesCombined Modality TherapyFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeAccelerometryKnee injuryKnee painKnee surgeryLong-term outcomePhysical activity

Identifiers

PMID40988010
PMCPMC12455814

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.