title: A description of the trials, reviews, and practice guidelines indexed in the PEDro database.
abstract: This perspective provides an overview of the randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in physical therapy. Data from the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) are used to describe key events in the history of physical therapy research and the growth of evidence of effects of interventions used in the various subdisciplines of physical therapy. The 11,494 records that were identified reveal a rich history of physical therapy research dating back to the first trial in 1929. Most of the randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines in physical therapy have been published since the year 2000. This rapid growth presents a challenge for physical therapists who want to keep up to date in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Division, The George Institute for International Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Road, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia. cmaher@george.org.au
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Moseley
authors.forename: Cathie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sherrington
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Elkins
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Herbert
mesh_terms: D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012196:Review Literature as Topic