Key facts
- Score direction
- Higher is better
- Meaningful change
- A minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 13 points has been established for the VISA-P. Because VISA-P (normalised) calculates the total score in the same direction as VISA-P, the same threshold can be used for interpreting meaningful change.
- Scoring
- The form comprises eight questions with a maximum total score of 100 points. Question 1 (sit duration) is labelled 0 mins through to 100+ mins and contributes directly (more minutes = higher score). Questions 2-6 use a p…
- Time to complete
- 5 min
- Questions
- 8
- Licensing
- Available free of charge; Patient Watch charges only for platform services
About the VISA-P (normalised)
VISA-P (normalised) is an improved presentation of the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella questionnaire, designed for patient ease of use. It keeps the same clinical content and score interpretation as VISA-P, but presents questions 2 to 6 with conventional pain-scale direction where 0/10 is best and 10/10 is worst. This matches typical VAS and NRS pain scoring that patients already understand, reducing confusion from the original scale where higher numbers meant less pain. Question 1 asks sitting duration in natural order from 0 mins to 100+ mins. The calculated total remains equivalent to the original VISA-P, so clinicians can compare results and apply the same thresholds.
Medical Specialties
Anatomic Areas
Clinical Indications
Developer Information
Based on the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella questionnaire developed by the Victorian Institute of Sport Tendon Study Group, led by Visentini PJ, Khan KM, Cook JL, Kiss ZS, Harcourt PR, and Wark JD. Normalised presentation adapted for patient ease of use while preserving score equivalence.
Copyright & Licensing
The VISA-P questionnaire is freely available for use in clinical practice and research settings without licensing fees or restrictions. It may be reproduced and used without permission from the developers, though proper citation of the original validation study is encouraged.
Administration Instructions
In this questionnaire, the term "pain" refers specifically to pain in the knee cap region. Question 1 asks how many minutes you can sit pain free (0 mins to 100+ mins). For questions 2 to 6, 0/10 is best and 10/10 is worst - the same direction most people use when rating pain. The final score is calculated in the same direction as the original VISA-P.
Scoring Methodology
The form comprises eight questions with a maximum total score of 100 points. Question 1 (sit duration) is labelled 0 mins through to 100+ mins and contributes directly (more minutes = higher score). Questions 2-6 use a patient-friendly normalised direction, where 0 represents the best state and 10 represents the worst pain or limitation; for scoring they are reverse-transformed using 10 minus the selected response so item contributions match the original VISA-P. Question 7 retains the original VISA-P categorical options (0, 4, 7, 10). Question 8 is completed as either A, B or C only, with duration bands NIL, 1-5 min, 6-10 min, 7-15 min and >15 min scored as A: 0/7/14/21/30, B: 0/4/10/14/20, or C: 0/2/5/7/10. Item scores are summed to produce a total score ranging from 0 (worst symptoms) to 100 (asymptomatic). Higher scores indicate better function and fewer symptoms.
Meaningful Change Threshold
A minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 13 points has been established for the VISA-P. Because VISA-P (normalised) calculates the total score in the same direction as VISA-P, the same threshold can be used for interpreting meaningful change.
Score Interpretation
Understanding what your score means
severe
0 - 49Severe symptoms with major functional impairment. Patient has substantial limitations in daily activities and sports participation, with persistent pain affecting quality of life.
moderate
50 - 69Moderate symptoms with significant functional limitations. Patient experiences regular pain during activities and may need to reduce training intensity or frequency.
mild
70 - 89Mild symptoms with some functional limitations. Patient may experience occasional pain during or after activity but can generally maintain sports participation with minor modifications.
asymptomatic
90 - 100Excellent function with minimal or no symptoms. Patient is able to participate fully in sports and daily activities without limitation.
Clinical Limitations & Considerations
VISA-P (normalised) improves patient ease of use by changing the response direction for questions 1 to 6, but keeps the calculated score equivalent to VISA-P. Clinicians should avoid mixing raw item responses from the original and normalised forms without accounting for this display-direction change.
Frequently asked questions
What does a mild VISA-P (normalised) score mean?
A VISA-P (normalised) score of 70 to 89 is classified as mild. Mild symptoms with some functional limitations. Patient may experience occasional pain during or after activity but can generally maintain sports participation with minor modifications.
What does a severe VISA-P (normalised) score mean?
A VISA-P (normalised) score of 0 to 49 is classified as severe. Severe symptoms with major functional impairment. Patient has substantial limitations in daily activities and sports participation, with persistent pain affecting quality of life.
What does a moderate VISA-P (normalised) score mean?
A VISA-P (normalised) score of 50 to 69 is classified as moderate. Moderate symptoms with significant functional limitations. Patient experiences regular pain during activities and may need to reduce training intensity or frequency.
What does a asymptomatic VISA-P (normalised) score mean?
A VISA-P (normalised) score of 90 to 100 is classified as asymptomatic. Excellent function with minimal or no symptoms. Patient is able to participate fully in sports and daily activities without limitation.
Related Outcome Measures
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This questionnaire is provided free of charge. Patient Watch charges only for platform services (data storage, automated reminders, analytics) - not for use of clinical instruments. This non-commercial model supports academic and clinical use.View full licensing disclosure