Table 3 Participants’ characteristics at baseline for the experimental groups and the control group
Characteristic | Dose1 −peak/−rate | Dose 2 +peak/+rate | Dose 3 +peak/−rate | Control | F3,77 or H3 value and p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Males: Females | 6: 14 | 8: 14 | 8: 13 | 6: 12 | – | |
Age (years) | 41.50 (13.79) | 37.45 (13.48) | 37.19 (11.14) | 35.83 (13.68) | F = 0.57; p = 0.64 | |
Weight (kg) | 70.88 (12.66) | 72.21 (18.80) | 74.66 (18.90) | 68.85 (13.15) | F = 2.03; p = 0.12 | |
Height (m) | 1.65 (0.08) | 1.67 (0.07) | 1.68 (0.10) | 1.68 (0.07) | F = 0.69; p = 0.56 | |
Body mass index (kg/m2) | 26.12 (4.62) | 28.91 (7.15) | 26.09 (4.51) | 24.48 (4.27) | F = 2.43; p = 0.07 | |
Average pain intensity in the past three months (0–100, median, IQR) | 30.00 (20.00) | 27.50 (10.00) | 30.00 (26.00) | 50.00 (40.00) | H = 7.51; p = 0.06 | |
Pain intensity at the start of the first session (0–100, median, IQR) | 20.00 (10.00) | 20.00 (15.00) | 30.00 (29.97) | 50.00 (44.00) | H = 12.06, p = 0.01* | |
TSK score (/68) | 30.45 (7.26) | 31.64 (6.89) | 31.71 (8.23) | 33.39 (6.17) | F = 0.53; p = 0.66 | |
QBPDQ score (%, median, IQR) | 9.00 (15.00) | 16.31 (18.09) | 12.92 (11.51) | 12.50 (15.00) | H = 1.47 p = 0.69 | |
SBST score (/9, median, IQR) | 2.00 (3.00) | 2.00 (3.00) | 3.00 (3.00) | 3.50 (2.00) | H = 6.73; p = 0.08 | |
Global spinal stiffness at the first session before SMT/rest (N/mm) | T6 | 8.02 (1.20) | 7.49 (1.62) | 7.70 (1.62) | 8.14 (1.43) | F = 0.81; p = 0.49 |
T7 | 7.96 (1.05) | 7.38 (1.80) | 7.72 (1.83) | 8.03 (1.18) | F = 0.75; p = 0.52 | |
T8 | 7.73 (1.18) | 7.39 (1.87) | 7.62 (1.98) | 7.80 (1.63) | F = 0.23; p = 0.87 | |
Terminal spinal stiffness at the first session before SMT/rest (N/mm) | T6 | 8.06 (1.26) | 7.50 (1.65) | 7.73 (1.64) | 8.20 (1.44) | F = 0.88; p = 0.46 |
T7 | 7.98 (1.07) | 7.41 (1.88) | 7.75 (1.95) | 8.06 (1.21) | F = 0.69; p = 0.56 | |
T8 | 7.77 (1.24) | 7.39 (1.90) | 7.64 (2.07) | 7.86 (1.66) | F = 0.27; p = 0.84 | |
Tenderness during spinal stiffness assessment (%, median, IQR) | T6 | 18.83 (22.50) | 13.33 (23.33) | 16.67 (18.67) | 19.17 (23.33) | H = 2.42; p = 0.49 |
T7 | 13.33 (24.33) | 5.00 (16.33) | 10.00 (20.00) | 15.00 (16.33) | H = 2.84; p = 0.42 | |
T8 | 9.33 (19.33) | 4.17 (21.00) | 8.33 (16.67) | 10.00 (18.33) | H = 1.26; p = 0.74 | |
Muscle response amplitude during spinal stiffness assessment (nRMS, median, IQR) | T6 | 0.10 (0.09) | 0.13 (0.11) | 0.08 (0.15) | 0.11 (0.10) | H = 4.78; p = 0.19 |
T7 | 0.10 (0.06) | 0.14 (0.13) | 0.08 (0.06) | 0.11 (0.11) | H = 5.12; p = 0.16 | |
T8 | 0.09 (0.05) | 0.13 (0.13) | 0.08 (0.04) | 0.11 (0.09) | H = 5.02; p = 0.17 | |
Expectation (+: - or neutral) | 13: 7 | 18: 4 | 18: 3 | 10: 8 | – | |