Construction elements and preliminary framework of a sport-medicine-education collaborative intervention model for patellar tendinopathy

TL;DR

This study creates a new model for treating patellar tendinopathy by combining sports, medical care, and patient education.

Contribution

The novel 'Three-dimensional Six Elements' (3D-6E) framework integrates sports, medicine, and education for collaborative tendinopathy management.

Findings

Progressive resistance training improved VISA-P scores by 16.4 points in 12 weeks.

Multidisciplinary collaboration reduced recurrence rates from 28.4% to 9.7% over 24 weeks.

Health education provisions increased 1,700% from 2013 to 2024, emphasizing patient empowerment.

Abstract

This study aims to construct and optimize a collaborative intervention model for patellar tendinopathy by integrating three dimensions: sports, medical care, and patient education.

The study adopted a hybrid methodology, integrating a systematic literature review (36 high-quality studies from 2013 to 2024; the exclusion of pre-2013 seminal studies is acknowledged as a limitation), text analysis of national health integration policies, and comparative case studies of representative practical models.

The study found that progressive resistance training significantly increased the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella (VISA-P) score by 16.4 points (95% CI: 14.2–18.6) within 12 weeks, while multidisciplinary collaboration reduced the 24-week recurrence rate from 28.4% to 9.7% compared with a single treatment method. Policy evolution analysis shows that the number of health education-related provisions has increased by 1,700% from 2013 to 2024, highlighting the growing recognition of the importance of patient empowerment. The research proposes the “Three-dimensional Six Elements” (3D-6E) framework, encompassing three dimensions: sports (Exercise Prescription: FITT-based progressive loading protocols; Exercise Monitoring: pain-guided load management), medicine (Evidence-based Diagnosis: standardized clinical and imaging assessment; Early Detection: high-risk population screening and referral), and education (Patient Empowerment: structured health literacy curricula; Evaluation Feedback: MCID-oriented multidimensional outcome tracking).

This model provides evidence-based guidance for the management of load-induced musculoskeletal tendinopathies, but it still requires multi-center prospective validation and health economics assessment to achieve wider application.

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