Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

1.

Age 35–75 years

2.

Pain within the last year in or around the knee occurring on most days for at least a month [27]

3.

Knee pain greater than or equal to 40 mm on a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) in the WOMAC* [28–31] pain subscale for one week prior to study entry

4.

KL** 2–4 [32] radiographic knee osteoarthritis

5.

Able to attend 6 intervention sessions

Exclusion criteria:

1.

Severe psychiatric or psychological disorder***

2.

Other back or lower limb pain symptoms more aggravating than knee pain

3.

Previous or planned lower extremity joint surgery

4.

Inability to complete the study ****