Table 3.

Intervention Design

	Silva et al. 2008 [2]		Foley et al. 2003 [1]		Lund et al. 2008 [27]		Fransen et al. 2007 [7]		Wyatt et al.2001 [30]		Suomi & Collier 2003 [22]		Eversdenet al.2007 [23]		Gill et al. 2009 [25]		Hall et al. 1996 [21]		Smith et al. 1998 [31]
	WB	LB	WB	LB	WB	LB	WB	LB	WB	LB	WB	LB	WB	LB	WB	LB	WB	LB	WB	LB
Exercise class size	5-8						Max 15						1-4	1-6	4-6		4-5		<5
Supervision	PT		✓	✓	PT students		PT	✓ Tai chi I	✓	✓	✓ AFAP I	✓ PACE I	✓	✓	PT	PT	PT	PT	PT	HEP
Home program	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓video only	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✓
Adverse effects %			3	2	11	44		2							0	0
Drop-outs	1	6	6	6	1	5	3	8	4		1	1	13	17	3	4	9		1	3
Pool temperature °C	32	n/a		n/a	33.5	n/a	34	n/a	~32.2	n/a	31.7	n/a	35	n/a		n/a	36	n/a	36	n/a
% Weight bearing/water depth	1.2 m	n/a		n/a		n/a	~50%	n/a	~1.5 m	n/a	1.05 m	n/a		n/a		n/a		n/a	~20%	n/a
Compliance%	min. 80 required		84	75	92	85	81*	61*			79	90			82	88			89
Program time(weeks)	18	18	6	6	8	8	12	12	6	6	8	8	6	6	6	6	4	4	10	10
Session time (min)	50	50	30	30	50	50	60	60			45	45	30	30	60	60	30	30	60	?
Sessions per week	3	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	3	3	2	2	1	1	2	2	2	2	3	x2-3/day
Total number sessions	54	54	18	18	16	16	24	24	18	18	16	16	6	6	12	12	8	8	30	140-210

Key:

✓ included

✗ not included in intervention

* % of participants who attended greater than 50% of classes

AFAP Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program

HEP home exercise program (3 recheck appointments with physiotherapist)

I instructor

LB land based intervention

n/a not applicable

PACE People with Arthritis Can Exercise

PT Physiotherapist

WB aquatic intervention

Missing data indicates that no relevant data were reported