INTRODUCTION: Evidence-based practice is needed in order to provide effective and low cost treatments for patients. Due to the growth of the number scientific articles with heterogeneous methodological quality, it becomes difficult for physiotherapists to select which information to be used in order to keep updated as well as to make clinical decisions. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to present the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). METHOD: We described the comprehensiveness, types of studies indexed, the accessibility and how the methodological quality of randomised controlled trials is rated on the PEDro database. RESULTS: PEDro is the most comprehensive database that indexes studies aimed to test the efficacy of physiotherapy interventions. PEDro indexes randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines, being the randomized controlled trials having their methodological quality and statistical reporting evaluated by the PEDro scale. PEDro is an open access database, which facilitates the use for physiotherapists, students and researchers. The search results are ranked according to the methodological quality. The PEDro website is available in English, Mandarin, French, German and Portuguese and the website also have an easy-friendly using link to the consumer version of PEDro, named "physiotherapy choices". CONCLUSION: PEDro database helps both health care professionals as well as patients by informing them with regards to the efficacy of physiotherapy interventions in an easy and quick way. PEDro contributes significantly in the decision-making process by providing all information available regarding the efficacy of physiotherapy interventions.
Evidence-based practice; Database; Physiotherapy
