Clinical Guidelines: Musculoskeletal / Orthopaedics

Cervico-Thoracic

• Clinical Guidelines for Best Practice Management of Acute and Chronic Whiplash-Associated Disorders: Clinical Resource Guide. South Australian Centre for Trauma and Injury Recovery (2008).
• Neck Pain: Revisin 2017 - Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Blanpied PR, Gross AR, Elliott JM, Devaney LL, Clewley D, Walton DM, Sparks C, Robertson EK, Altman RD, Beattie P, Boeglin E. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2017 Jul;47(7):A1-83.
• International Framework for Examination of the Cervical Region for potential of Cervical Arterial Dysfunction prior to Orthopaedic Manual Therapy Intervention. Rushton A, Rivett D, Carlesso L, Flynn T, Hing W, Kerry R (2012). International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists.
• Clinical Guidelines for Assessing Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency in the Management of Cervical Spine Disorders. Rivett D, Shirley D, Magarey M, Refshauge K (2006). Australian Physiotherapy Association.
• Manual Therapy and Exercise for Neck Pain: Clinical Treatment Tool-Kit. Miller J, Gross A, Rogers T, Willemse J (2012). McMaster University.

Shoulder

• Diagnosis and Management of Soft Tissue Shoulder Injuries and Related Disorders: Best Practice Evidence-Based Guideline New Zealand Guideline Group (2004).
• Evidence-based clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, assessment and physiotherapy management of shoulder impingement syndrome. Cummins J, Jefferies C, Hanchard N (2005). Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, UK.
• Evidence-based clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, assessment and physiotherapy management of contracted (frozen) shoulder. Hanchard N, Goodchild L, Thompson J, O’Brien T, Davison D, Richardson C, Watson H, Mtopo S, Wragg M, Scott M (2011). Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, UK.
• Shoulder Pain and Mobility Deficits: Adhesive Capsulitis - Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health Kelley MJ, Shaffer MA, Kuhn JE, Michener LA, Seitz AL, Uhl TL, Godges JJ, McClure PW. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2013; 43(5): A1-A31.

Elbow

• Lateral Epicondyle (LET) Tendinopathy Toolkit. Anthony J, Fearon A, Hughes D, Kennedy C, Scott A, Yates M, Hoens A (2013). The BC Physical Therapy Tendinopathy Task Force. (Link to the Physiopedia Toolkit page here).

Wrist & Hand

• Distal Upper Limb: Guidelines for Management of Some Common Musculoskeletal Disorders. Grimmer-Somers K, Lekkas P, Jeffries L, Kumar S, O’Dwyer L, Massey-Westropp N, Legg S, Olsen K (2009). Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), NZ.

Lumbo-Pelvic

• To view guidelines by country, please see the Lumbo-Pelvic Guidelines page
• Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Noninvasive Management of Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. Wong JJ, Côté P, Sutton DA, Randhawa K, Yu H, Varatharajan S, Goldgrub R, Nordin M, Gross DP, Shearer HM, Carroll LJ, Stern PJ, Ameis A, Southerst D, Mior S, Stupar M, Varatharajan T, Taylor-Vaisey A. Eur J Pain, 2017; 21: 201–216.
• Low Back Pain: Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. Delitto A, George SZ, Van Dillen L, Whitman JM, Sowa G, Shekelle P, Denninger TR, Godges JJ. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2012; 42(4): A1-A57.
• Adult Acute and Subacute Low Back Pain. Goertz M, Thorson D, Bonsell J, Bonte B, Campbell R, Haake B, Johnson K, Kramer C, Mueller B, Peterson S, Setterlund L, Timming R. Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (2012).
• Diagnosis and Treatment of Low Back Pain: A Joint Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. Chou R, Qaseem A, Snow V, Casey D, Cross JT Jr, Shekelle P, Owens DK. Ann Intern Med, 2007; 147(7): 478-491.
• Clinical Guidelines for the Physiotherapy Management of Persistent Low Back Pain, Part 1: Exercise. Mercer C, Jackson A, Hettinga D, Barlas P, Ferguson S, Greenhalgh S, Harding V, Hurley Osing D, Klaber Moffett J, Martin D, May S, Monteath J, Roberts L, Taylor N, Woby S. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (2006).
• Clinical Guidelines for the Physiotherapy Management of Persistent Low Back Pain, Part 2: Manual Therapy. Mercer C, Jackson A, Hettinga D, Barlas P, Ferguson S, Greenhalgh S, Harding V, Hurley Osing D, Klaber Moffett J, Martin D, May S, Monteath J, Roberts L, Taylor N, Woby S. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (2006).
• National Practice Guidelines for Physical Therapy in Patients with Low Back Pain. Bekkering GE, Hendriks HJM, Koes BW, Oostendorp RAB, Ostelo RWJG, Thomassen JMC, van Tulder MW. The Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy, KNGF (2003).
• European guidelines for prevention in low back pain. AK Burton, F Balagué, G Cardon, HR Eriksen, Y Henrotin, A Lahad, A Leclerc, G Müller, AJ van der Beek On behalf of the COST B13 Working Group on Guidelines for Prevention in Low Back Pain (2004).
• European guidelines for the management of acute nonspecific low back pain in primary care. Maurits van Tulder, Annette Becker, Trudy Bekkering, Alan Breen, Maria Teresa Gil del Real, Allen Hutchinson, Bart Koes, Even Laerum, Antti Malmivaara, on behalf of the COST B13 Working Group on Guidelines for the Management of Acute Low Back Pain in Primary Care (2004).
• European guidelines for the management of chronic non-specific low back pain.  O Airaksinen, JI Brox, C Cedraschi, J Hildebrandt, J Klaber-Moffett, F Kovacs, AF Mannion, S Reis, JB Staal, H Ursin, G Zanoli On behalf of the COST B13 Working Group on Guidelines for Chronic Low BackPain (2004).
• New Zealand Acute Low Back Pain Guidelines the best practice evidence based guideline from New Zealand Guideline Group
• Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Chronic Pelvic Pain: Part 1. Jarrell JF, Vilos GA, Chronic Pelvic Pain Committee. J Obstet Gynaecol Can, 2005; 27(8): 781–801.
• Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Chronic Pelvic Pain: Part 2. Jarrell JF, Vilos GA, Chronic Pelvic Pain Committee. J Obstet Gynaecol Can, 2005; 27(9): 869–887.
• European guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic girdle pain. Andry Vleeming, Hanne B Albert, Hans Christian Östgaard, Britt Stuge, Bengt Sturesson On behalf of the COST B13 Working Group on Guidelines for Chronic Low Back Pain (2004).

Hip

• https://www.apta.org/patient-care/evidence-based-practice-resources/cpgs/hip-fracture-management-nice-cg124 Hip Fracture Management, JANUARY 6, 2023 | CPG

• Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy: Clinical Aspects of Assessment and Management. Goom TSH, Malliaras P, Reiman MP, Purdam CR. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2016; 46(6): 483-493.
• Nonarthritic Hip Joint Pain: Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Enseki K, Harris-Hayes M, White DM, Cibulka MT, Woehrle J, Fagerson TL, Clohisy JC. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2014; 44(6): A1-A32.
• Hip Pain and Mobility Deficits - Hip Osteoarthritis: Revision 2017. Cibulka MT, Bloom NJ, Enseki KR, MacDonald CW, Woehrle J, McDonough CM. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2017; 47(6): A1-A37.
• Management of Hip Fracture in Older People. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (2009).

Knee

• The ‘Best Practice Guide to Conservative Management of Patellofemoral Pain’: Incorporating Level 1 Evidence with Expert Clinical Reasoning Barton CJ, Lack S, Hemmings S, Tufail S, Morrissey D. Br J Sports Med, 2015; 49: 923–934.
• Diagnosis and Management of Soft Tissue Knee Injuries: Internal Derangements the best practice evidence based guideline from the New Zealand Guideline Group
• Knee pain and mobility impairments: meniscal and articular cartilage lesions Logerstedt DS, Snyder-Mackler L, Ritter RC, Axe MJ. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2010: 40(6): A1-A35.
• Knee stability and movement coordination impairments: knee ligament sprain Logerstedt DS, Snyder-Mackler L, Ritter RC, Axe MJ, Godges JJ. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2010; 40(4): A1-A37.
• OARSI Guidelines for the Non-Surgical Management of Knee Osteoarthritis McAlindon TE, Bannuru RR, Sullivan MC, Arden NK, Berenbaum F, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, Hawker GA, Henrotin Y, Hunter DJ, Kawaguchi H, Kwoh K, Lohmander S, Rannou F, Roos EM, Underwood M. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2014; 22: 363-388.
• Treatment of Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2013).
• Clinical practice guidelines for physical therapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee EMHM Vogels, HJM Hendriks, ME van Baar, J Dekker, M Hopman-Rock, RAB Oostendorp, WAMM Hullegie, H Bloo, WKHA Hilberdink, M Munneke, J Verhoef (2003).
• KNGF Guideline for Physical Therapy in patients with Osteoarthritis of the hip and knee Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy (2010).

Ankle & Foot

• Heel Pain - Plantar Fasciitis: Revision 2014. Martin RL, Davenport TE, Reischl SF, McPoil TG, Matheson JW, Wukich DK, McDonough CM. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2014; 44(11): A1-33.
• Ankle Stability and Movement Coordination Impairments: Ankle Ligament Sprains. Martin RL, Davenport TE, Paulseth S, Wukich DK, Godges JJ. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2013; 43(9): A1-40.
• Achilles Pain, Stiffness, and Muscle Power Deficits: Achilles Tendinitis. Carcia CR, Martin RL, Houck J, Wukich DK. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2010; 40(9): A1-26.
• Achilles Tendinopathy Toolkit. Scott A, Anthony J, Hughes D, Yates M, Justesen JR, Ezzat A (2012). The BC Physical Therapy Tendinopathy Task Force. (Link to the Physiopedia Toolkit page here).
• Rehabilitation for Ankle Fractures in Adults (Cochrane Review). Lin CWC, Moseley AM, Refshauge KM. The Cochrane Collaboration (2008).

Osteoarthritis

• Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Therapeutic Exercises and Manual Therapy in the Management of Osteoarthritis. Ottawa Panel. Phys Ther, 2005; 85(9): 907-971.
• Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Osteoarthritis in Adults Who Are Obese or Overweight. Brosseau L, Wells GA, Tugwell P, Egan M, Dubouloz CJ, Casimiro L, Bugnariu N, Welch VA, De Angelis G, Francoeur L, Milne S, Loew L, McEwan J, Messier SP, Doucet E, Kenny GP, Prud'homme D, Lineker S, Bell M, Poitras S, Li JX, Finestone HM, Laferrière L, Haines-Wangda A, Russell-Doreleyers M, Lambert K, Marshall AD, Cartizzone M, Teav A. Phys Ther, 2011; 91: 843-861.

Osteoporosis

• 2010 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis in Canada: Summary. Papaioannou A, Morin S, Cheung AM, Atkinson S, Brown JP, Feldman S, Hanley DA, Hodsman A, Jamal SA, Kaiser SM, Kvern B, Siminoski K, Leslie WD. CMAJ, 2010; 182(17):1864-1873.

Post-Surgical Rehabilitation

• The American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Therapists’ Consensus Rehabilitation Guideline for Arthroscopic Anterior Capsulolabral Repair of the Shoulder. Gaunt BW, Shaffer MA, Sauers EL, Michener LA, McCluskey GM, Thigpen C. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2010; 40(3): 155-168.
• Role of Physical Therapists in the Management of Individuals at Risk for or Diagnosed With Venous Thromboembolism: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline. Hillegass E, Puthoff M, Frese EM, Thigpen M, Sobush DC, Auten B. Role of physical therapists in the management of individuals at risk for or diagnosed with venous thromboembolism: evidence-based clinical practice guideline. Physical therapy. 2016 Feb 1;96(2):143-66.