The content analysis of exercise interventions in knee osteoarthritis demonstrated low scores for moderate- to high-quality trials. Improved standardized reporting is recommended to ensure knowledge transfer and replication of effective exercise programs for individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

Rationale: Exercise programs for the management of fibromyalgia are well recognized as being effective. However, the incomplete descriptions of exercise programs make replication and implementation difficult. Also, existing reporting tools have not been validated in relation to pain relief as well as with each other. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the description of exercise programs in randomized control trials for the management of fibromyalgia using different assessment tools, and the correlations of each tool in relation to effectiveness of pain relief of fibromyalgia, and the correlations between each tool. Method/Results: Through a consensus made by two different pairs of reviewers and an arbitrator, the mean total scores for the exercise programs were reported: 10.61/19 for Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template; 4.17/12 for Template for Intervention Description and Replication; 7.05/12 for the Consensus on Therapeutic Exercise Training; and 2.50/4 (aerobic) and 2.36/5 (flexibility and resistance) for the 2016 American College of Sports Medicine guidelines. This demonstrates generally low reporting scores (less than 60% out of the total number of items were reported). Overall, low correlations (Cohen’s kappa value, ranging from −0.47 (poor) to 0.313 (fair)) were found between all tools and pain relief. Good to excellent correlations (0.680–0.908) among the reporting tools were shown. Conclusion: Incomplete descriptions of exercise programs were consistently shown among the randomized clinical trials assessed in this study. The overall weak correlations demonstrated that the reporting tools have the limited ability to determine whether exercise programs were or were not effective for pain relief among individuals with fibromyalgia.

Background The reporting quality of physical activity (PA) programs in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) remains unknown. This study aimed to assess and compare the reporting quality of PA programs in RCTs for the management of JIA using three difference standardized assessment tools, and to describe the elements that were similar and different between these tools. Methods A systematic search was conducted for moderate-to high-quality RCTs of PA programs in JIA, published up until January 2019. Two reviewers independently included 10 RCTs and scored the reporting quality of PA programs using the following tools: Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) checklist, Consensus on Therapeutic Exercise Training (CONTENT) scale, and Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist. Results Results showed that reporting of PA programs in 10 moderate- to high-quality RCTs for JIA management remains incomplete. The average reporting quality (± standard deviation) for all RCTs combined was moderate for the three standardized assessment tools with 70.8 (±14.3)% for the TIDieR checklist, 53.2 (±20.2)% for the CERT checklist, and 70.0 (±18.9)% for the CONTENT scale. Despite some overlap, the three standardized assessment tools (TIDieR, CERT, CONTENT) included different elements resulting in different scores. All tools assess elements linked to PA programs (provider, location, timing, personalization and adherence), but the CERT checklist includes other essential elements (e.g., additional resources, motivational strategies, adverse events). Conclusions The lack of complete reporting of PA programs in RCTs for the management of JIA and the variation in scores and assessed elements among standardized assessment tools show the need to improve reporting. Using the most comprehensive standardized tool (i.e., the CERT) and providing accessible supplemental information on PA programs may improve the reporting quality of PA programs in RCTs and help reproduce PA programs in research and clinical practice.

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