Comparison 1. Injection therapies versus placebo injection or no injection control.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 VISA‐A (score 0 to 100; 100 = no problems): at 6 weeks	5	200	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.79 [‐4.56, 6.14]
1.1 Injury‐causing agents	1	28	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	4.0 [‐12.30, 20.30]
1.2 Direct repair agents	4	172	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.40 [‐5.26, 6.06]
2 VISA‐A (score 0 to 100; 100 = no problems): at 3 months	5	189	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.94 [‐6.34, 4.46]
2.1 Injury‐causing agents	1	27	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐5.0 [‐21.61, 11.61]
2.2 Direct repair agents	4	162	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.46 [‐6.17, 5.25]
3 VISA‐A (score 0 to 100; 100 = no problems): after 3 months	3	132	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.14 [‐6.54, 6.82]
3.1 Injury‐causing agents	1	27	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	9.5 [‐6.35, 25.35]
3.2 Direct repair agents	2	105	Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI)	‐1.88 [‐9.25, 5.48]
4 Patients achieving increased VISA‐A scores (20 points or more from baseline)	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
4.1 Injury‐causing agent vs exercises: 6 weeks	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
4.2 Injury‐causing agent vs exercises: 3 months	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
4.3 Injury‐causing agent vs exercises: 12 months	1		Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
5 Adverse events	13	449	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.97 [0.50, 1.89]
5.1 Injury‐causing agents	2	47	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.31 [0.01, 7.02]
5.2 Direct repair agents	11	402	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.05 [0.53, 2.09]
6 Pain (VAS; score 0 to 100; 0 = no pain) up to 3 months	7	219	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐22.94 [‐37.53, ‐8.36]
6.1 Injury‐causing agents	2	47	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐12.31 [‐30.43, 5.81]
6.2 Direct repair agents	5	172	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐26.34 [‐44.13, ‐8.55]
7 Return to sports	7	335	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.39 [1.00, 1.94]
7.1 Injury‐causing agents	0	0	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [0.0, 0.0]
7.2 Direct repair agents	7	335	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.39 [1.00, 1.94]
8 Patient satisfaction with treatment (an event represents satisfaction with treatment)	4	152	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	1.05 [0.76, 1.47]
8.1 Injury‐causing agents	2	47	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	2.79 [0.26, 29.91]
8.2 Direct repair agents	2	105	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.98 [0.85, 1.14]