Table 3.
Comparison of outcomes between the groups
| Outcome | Comparison | Mean difference (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|
| WOMAC pain (score) | Exercise – Exercise + placebo | 1.50 (0.34, 2.65) a |
| Exercise – Exercise + ICT | 2.15 (1.17, 3.12) a | |
| Exercise – Exercise + SDT | 2.00 (0.89, 3.10) a | |
| Exercise – Exercise + PHOTO | 2.35 (1.63, 3.06) a | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + ICT | 0.65 (0.40, 1.70) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + SDT | 0.50 (−0.60, 1.60) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.85 (−0.06, 1.76) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + SDT | −0.15 (−1.27, 0.97) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.20 (−0.45, 0.85) | |
| Exercise + SDT – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.35 (−0.60, 1.30) | |
| WOMAC stiffness (score) | Exercise – Exercise + placebo | −0.10 (− 0.62, 0.42) |
| Exercise – Exercise + ICT | 0.20 (−0.33, 0.73) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + SDT | 0.20 (− 0.27, 0.67) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.25 (− 0.79, 0.29) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + ICT | 0.30 (−0.20, 0.80) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + SDT | 0.30 (−0.32, 0.92) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.15 (− 0.78, 0.48) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + SDT | 0.00 (−0.54, 0.54) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.45 (− 0.86, − 0.03) a | |
| Exercise + SDT – Exercise + PHOTO | − 0.45 (0.98, 0.08) | |
| WOMAC function (score) | Exercise – Exercise + placebo | 5.55 (3.63, 7.46) a |
| Exercise – Exercise + ICT | 3.40 (1.46, 5.33) a | |
| Exercise – Exercise + SDT | 4.75 (1.85, 7.64) a | |
| Exercise – Exercise + PHOTO | 5.45 (3.12, 7.77) a | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + ICT | −2.15 (−3.63, − 0.66) a | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + SDT | −0.80 (− 2.84, 1.24) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.10 (− 2.07, 1.87) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + SDT | 1.35 (− 0.97, 3.67) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + PHOTO | 2.05 (0.77, 3.32) a | |
| Exercise + SDT – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.70 (−1.84, 3.24) | |
| NRPS (score) | Exercise – Exercise + placebo | −0.10 (− 0.72, 0.52) |
| Exercise – Exercise + ICT | −0.20 (− 0.71, 0.31) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + SDT | 0.30 (−0.20, 0.80) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.20 (− 0.73, 0.33) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + ICT | −0.10 (− 0.64, 0.44) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + SDT | 0.40 (−0.11, 0.91) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.10 (− 0.68, 0.48) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + SDT | 0.50 (− 0.07, 1.07) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.00 (−0.52, 0.52) | |
| Exercise + SDT – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.50 (−1.17, 0.17) | |
| PPT point 1 (kg/cm2) | Exercise – Exercise + placebo | − 0.08 (− 0.59, 0.42) |
| Exercise – Exercise + ICT | −0.17 (− 0.65, 0.29) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + SDT | −0.17 (− 0.58, 0.23) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.21 (− 0.55, 0.12) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + ICT | −0.09 (− 0.53, 0.34) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + SDT | −0.09 (− 0.71, 0.53) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.12 (− 0.56, 0.30) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + SDT | 0.00 (−0.39, 0.40) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.03 (− 0.39, 0.32) | |
| Exercise + SDT – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.03 (− 0.40, 0.33) | |
| PPT point 2 (kg/cm2) | Exercise – Exercise + placebo | −0.25 (− 0.82, 0.31) |
| Exercise – Exercise + ICT | −0.54 (−1.09, 0.00) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + SDT | −0.29 (− 0.75, 0.15) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.02 (− 0.40, 0.35) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + ICT | −0.28 (− 0.85, 0.27) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + SDT | - 0.04 (−0.52, 0.44) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.22 (−0.26, 0.72) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + SDT | 0.24 (−0.23, 0.72) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.51 (0.09, 0.94) a | |
| Exercise + SDT – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.27 (−0.10, 0.64) | |
| Fatigue (score) | Exercise – Exercise + placebo | −0.10 (− 0.68, 0.48) |
| Exercise – Exercise + ICT | −0.05 (− 0.60, 0.50) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + SDT | 0.00 (−0.45, 0.45) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.10 (− 0.64, 0.44) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + ICT | 0.05 (−0.54, 0.64) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + SDT | 0.10 (−0.46, 0.66) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.00 (−0.67, 0.67) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + SDT | 0.05 (−0.48, 0.58) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.05 (− 0.49, 0.39) | |
| Exercise + SDT – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.10 (− 0.52, 0.32) | |
| SST (score) | Exercise – Exercise + placebo | 0.11 (−0.24, 0.47) |
| Exercise – Exercise + ICT | 0.23 (−0.26, 0.72) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + SDT | −0.06 (− 0.36, 0.23) | |
| Exercise – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.03 (−0.49, 0.56) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + ICT | 0.12 (−0.24, 0.48) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + SDT | −0.18 (− 0.38, 0.02) | |
| Exercise + placebo – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.08 (− 0.43, 0.27) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + SDT | −0.30 (− 0.62, 0.02) | |
| Exercise + ICT – Exercise + PHOTO | −0.20 (− 0.74, 0.33) | |
| Exercise + SDT – Exercise + PHOTO | 0.09 (−0.31, 0.51) |
CI confidence interval, ICT interferential current therapy, SDT shortwave diathermy therapy, LLLT low-level laser therapy, WOMAC Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Questionnaire, NRPS numerical rating pain scale, PPT pressure pain threshold, SST sit-to-stand test. a Statistically significant (p < 0.05)