This protocol has been registered with the Open Science Framework (osf.io/f9w3z). This study protocol follows the reporting guidelines provided in the PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols ) statement [12] and the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews; Figure 1; Multimedia Appendix 1) [13]. Literature on rehabilitation approaches and strategies in the management of adult patients following pelvic fractures will be reviewed. This review will be guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework [14]. The framework identifies 6 stages that must be considered when developing a scoping review. The 6 stages are as follows: identification of the research question; identification of relevant studies; selection of eligible studies; charting the data; collating, summarizing, and reporting the results; and consulting with relevant stakeholders. The stakeholders include the orthopedic surgeon, urologist, psychologist, physiotherapist, dietician, orthopedic nurse, occupational therapist, social worker, orthotist, and prosthetist, and general or trauma surgeon. Results of the scoping review will be sent by email to the stakeholders for critiquing and reflecting on the evidence. Virtual meetings may be arranged as a follow-up to emails should the need arise. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide possible solutions to develop a fit-for-purpose interprofessional education and collaborative practice model. The purpose of including the stakeholders is to ensure that the best quality of evidence is collated and implemented.

The research question underpinning the review is “What rehabilitation approaches and strategies have been integrated in the management of adult patients with pelvic fractures?”

Subquestions that will guide the review are as follows:

Identification of studies relevant to this review will be achieved in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute search strategy [15]. A search for relevant literature will be conducted on the following electronic databases from 2002 to 2022: Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. Keywords relevant to each search parameter will be separated by the Boolean terms “AND,” “OR,” and “NOT.” A draft search strategy in PubMed is documented in Multimedia Appendix 2. The reference section of the selected studies will also be explored to identify further, potentially relevant studies that could have been missed in the initial search.

A pilot search using keywords to determine the feasibility of the study will be conducted (Multimedia Appendix 2). The search strategy will be adjusted for each database.

The study will incorporate the Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) model to align the study selection with the research question [15]. The Population, Concept, and Context model is a well-formulated model that improves scientific rigor for scoping review questions. Studies will have to include globally published articles on adult patients with pelvic fractures focused on rehabilitation approaches and strategies used during management. Rehabilitation approaches and strategies used to address skeletal stability, associated injuries, as well as impairments and disabilities in adult patients with pelvic fractures will be included. Articles on the functional outcome measurements used, home programs, and advice and education that can be given to adult patients with pelvic fractures will also be included. Peer-reviewed journal articles written in English will be included. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies will also be included. All health care systems, including primary, secondary, and tertiary systems, will be included. Titles, abstracts, and full texts will be screened by 2 reviewers (MDT and NAS). Discrepancies and disagreements will be resolved by discussions between the 2 reviewers and a third reviewer (VC). Rayyan software will be used for title and abstract screening to determine inclusion in the study and to improve collaboration between the reviewers [16,17].

The Inclusion and exclusion criteria for studies eligible for selection are presented in Textbox 1.

A data charting template (Textbox 2) will be used to extract and capture information from studies through each phase of the review. The information will be about rehabilitation approaches and strategies used by the health care team in the management of patients with pelvic fractures. The chart will be continually and regularly updated by the reviewers through the scoping process to capture all possible results for the research question. Two reviewers will chart the data independently, discussing the results and updating the chart.

The data extracted from the studies will be guided by the research questions and subquestions. This will include evidence that exists on the rehabilitation approaches and strategies for each impairment as well as activity limitations and participation restrictions in adult patients with pelvic fractures. The stages of the scoping review promote transparency and allow reproducibility of the study by reducing the risk of bias and data duplication [14,18]. The extracted data will be summarized in the final write-up using a thematic analysis with flexibility in the capturing of data, as in the scoping review [18]. The results will be interpreted and described according to the research question and subquestions.

Quality appraisal will be undertaken in this scoping review to ensure that strong evidence is collected, which will help to create a trustworthy guide for follow-up research projects. Performance of quality appraisal is informed by a study by Daudt et al [19] who underlined the importance of assessing the quality of studies and conducting a trial of the method before starting with the charting process, if the research is to be used to inform policy makers. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT; version 2018) will be used to assess the quality of the studies from the search strategy, described above [19]. Moreover, MMAT will be used to assess and report bias from quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies [20]. MMAT is suitable as the study excludes articles such as commentaries and opinion papers. The process requires critical appraisal, and therefore, 3 reviewers will be involved in the appraisal process. One reviewer has experience in MMAT application and will add rigor to the appraisal. The MMAT method allows for the inclusion of qualitative studies, quantitative randomized controlled trials, quantitative nonrandomized trials, and quantitative descriptive and mixed methods studies. Methodological quality criteria will be captured as per the MMAT by 2 reviewers, with the third reviewer overseeing the process.

These guidelines will inform the scoping review of examining the range of and gaps in the literature on the rehabilitation approaches and strategies for the management of patients with pelvic fractures. The rehabilitation needs of patients with pelvic fractures will also be drawn from the results of this review and presented in a flow diagram. This study might be used to inform health care professionals of the important aspects to be included in the assessment, management, and rehabilitation of patients with pelvic fractures. The results of this study might also be used to improve the physiotherapy curriculum. Approaches to health care management by health care professionals might be guided by the findings of this review. Health care professionals might be aware of the impact of pelvic fractures on the physical, mental, psychological, and socioeconomic status of the affected individuals. Health care professionals might be able to draw up relevant and patient-centered ward and home programs that can promote health-related quality of life in patients who had sustained pelvic fractures.

This scoping review is the first phase of a study that seeks to develop an interprofessional model of care for patients with pelvic fractures. It is hoped that this review will create awareness of the health care needs of patients with pelvic fractures. This awareness might prompt the health care professionals to set goals that will address most of the patients’ needs. The rehabilitation approaches and strategies used by the health care professionals globally as well as gaps in the literature will be identified [21]. This information will be crucial in informing the envisaged model with the best practical evidence, especially pertaining to physiotherapy practice, for patients with pelvic fractures.

The findings of the study will also provide evidence for health care policy makers to assist the stakeholders in addressing the needs of this population by rendering quality health care.

This scoping review protocol outlines steps that will guide the scoping review. This review will also identify and map studies that indicate the rehabilitation approaches and strategies in the management of patients with pelvic fractures. The results of this study may promote circulation of information and knowledge among health care professionals at various levels of health care.

Some articles might not be available in the databases that will be included in the study. Literature might also be limited since only articles written in English and available in full text will be considered for the study.