Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella (VISA-P)

Objective

The VISA-P (Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella) is a measurement tool used to assess pain and functional limitations in patients with patellar tendinopathy (Kaux et al., 2016; Korakakis et al., 2021; Hernandez-Sanchez et al., 2014).

Interpretation

A maximum score of 100 points represents an asymptomatic patient. The lower the score, the greater the severity of symptoms, implying a greater limitation of physical activity (Kaux et al., 2016; Hernandez-Sanchez et al., 2014).

Execution

The scale consists of 8 questions to be answered by the patient. Questions 1–3 relate to pain, questions 4–6 to function, and questions 7–8 to activity (Kaux et al., 2016; Palazón-Bru et al., 2020). The first seven questions are scored from 0 to 10, and question 8 has a maximum score of 30, for a total score of 100 points (Kaux et al., 2016).

Duration

5 minutes (Kaux et al., 2016).

Equipment

None.

Clinical Value

In terms of reliability, the VISA-P has excellent test-retest reliability (r > 0.95) as well as excellent inter-rater reliability (r > 0.95). It also demonstrates good stability at a one-week interval (r = 0.87) (Visentini et al., 1998). The questionnaire achieved a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.9 (Palazón-Bru et al., 2020).

In terms of validity, the correlation between the VISA-P and the SF-36 is good, with an r = 0.69 (Kaux et al., 2016).

Hernandez-Sanchez, S., M. D. Hidalgo, and A. Gomez. “Responsiveness of the VISA-P scale for patellar tendinopathy in athletes.” British Journal of Sports Medicine 48, no. 6 (2014): 453–57.

Kaux, J.-F., F. Delvaux, J. Oppong-Kyei, C. Beaudart, F. Buckinx, J.-L. Croisier, et al. “Cross-cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella Questionnaire for French-Speaking Patients With Patellar Tendinopathy.” Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy 46, no. 5 (2016): 384–90.

Korakakis, V., R. Whiteley, A. Kotsifaki, M. Stefanakis, Y. Sotiralis, and K. Thorborg. “A systematic review evaluating the clinimetric properties of the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment (VISA) questionnaires for lower limb tendinopathy shows moderate to high-quality evidence for sufficient reliability, validity and responsiveness—part II.” Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy 29, no. 9 (2021): 2765–88.

Palazón-Bru, A., M. I. Tomás Rodríguez, E. Mares-García, S. Hernández-Sánchez, M. N. Carbonell-Torregrosa, and V. F. Gil-Guillén. “The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment Scale for Patellar Tendinopathy (VISA-P): A Reliability Generalization Meta-analysis.” Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 31, no. 5 (2020): 455–64.

Visentini, P. J., K. M. Khan, J. L. Cook, Z. S. Kiss, P. R. Harcourt, and J. D. Wark. “The VISA Score: An Index of Severity of Symptoms in Patients with Jumper’s Knee (Patellar Tendinosis). Victorian Institute of Sport Tendon Study Group.” Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 1, no. 1 (January 1998): 22–28.