Table 3 Participants’ baseline sociodemographic and clinical variables

Age (y), mean (SD)

45.0 (15.2)

47.78 (15.9)

45.1 (13.1)

0.653^a

46.0 (14.7)

BMI (kg/m²), mean (SD)

21.7 (2.81)

22.30 (3.88)

23.3 (4.44)

0.164^a

22.4 (3.78)

Marital status, n (%)

 Married

35 (87.5)

32 (80.0)

36 (90)

0.671^c

103 (85.8)

 Single

4 (10.0)

5 (12.5)

3 (7.5)

12 (10.0)

 Widow

1 (2.5)

3 (7.5)

1 (2.5)

5 (4.2)

Gender, n (%)

 Male

26 (65.0)

26 (65.0)

20 (50.0)

0.287^b

72 (60.0)

 Female

14 (35.0)

14 (35.0)

20 (50.0)

48 (40.0)

Educational status, n (%)

 Non-formal education

23 (57.5)

32 (80.0)

25 (62.5)

0.094^c

80 (66.7)

 Completed primary education

12 (30)

3 (7.5)

6 (15.0)

21 (17.5)

 Completed secondary education

4 (10.0)

2 (5.0)

6 (15.0)

12 (10.0)

 Completed tertiary education

1 (2.5)

3 (7.5)

3 (7.5)

7 (5.8)

Occupational status, n (%)

 Paid work (government or private)

2 (5.0)

5 (12.5)

2 (5.0)

0.495^c

9 (7.5)

 Self-employed (farming or trading)

35 (87.5)

30 (75.0)

33 (82.5)

98 (81.7)

 Student

1 (2.5)

2 (5.0)

4 (10.0)

7 (5.8)

 Unemployed

2 (5.0)

3 (7.5)

1 (2.5)

6 (5.0)

Pain duration, n (%)

 3 – 24 months

16 (40.0)

12 (30.0)

16 (40.0)

0.563^b

43 (35.8)

  > 24 months

24 (60.0)

28 (70.0)

24 (60.0)

77 (64.2)

Smoking status, n (%)

 Yes

1 (2.5)

1 (2.5)

2 (5.0)

0.772^c

116 (96.7)

 No

39 (97.5)

39 (97.5)

38 (95.0)

4 (3.3)

Hypertension, n (%)

0.646^c

 Yes

5 (11.6)

6 (15.0)

8 (20.0)

19 (15.8)

 No

35 (81.4)

34 (85.0)

32 (80.0)

101 (84.2)

Systolic BP (mmHg), mean (SD)

127.6 (19.7)

129.2 (19.7)

128.1 (17.4)

0.926^a

128.3 (18.8)

Diastolic BP (mmHg), mean (SD)

86.6 (8.50)

85.5 (9.11)

85.3 (7.62)

0.767^a

85.8 (8.38)

Diabetes, n (%)

0.466^c

 Yes

2 (2.70)

3 (7.5)

5 (12.5)

10 (8.30)

 No

38 (88.4)

37 (92.5)

35 (87.5)

110 (91.7)

Previous physiotherapy (> 3 months), n (%)

 Yes

1 (2.5)

1 (2.5)

0 (0.0)

0.601^c

2 (1.7)

 No

39 (97.5)

39 (97.5)

40 (100.0)

118 (98.3)