Table 1.
Baseline Demographic Characteristics of Participants Who Completed the Study
| Placebo group (n=12) | Intervention group (n=19) | |
|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | ||
| Gender (m:f) | 8/4 | 12/7 |
| Age (years)a | 39.91±12.41 | 39.15±11.77 |
| Height (cm)a | 171.58±9.43 | 171.15±8.51 |
| Weight (kg)a | 76.66±11.75 | 76.55±13.65 |
| Body–mass indexa | 25.96±2.98 | 26.15±2.86 |
| Previous treatment, activity, and history | ||
| Treatment | ||
| Anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, paracetamol, etc.) | 6 (50 %) | 12 (63 %) |
| Glizolan (osteoarthritis medication) | – | 1 (5.2 %) |
| Robaxin (muscle-relaxing agent) | 1 (8.33 %) | – |
| Homeopathy, nutritional supplements (chondroitin, glucosamine, etc.) | 4 (33.3 %) | 5 (26.31%) |
| Others (massages, ultrasounds, physiotherapy, other treatments) | 3 (25 %) | 2 (10.52%) |
| Physical activity | ||
| Cardiovascular exercise (elliptical bicycle, walking, swimming) | 7 (58.33%) | 13 (68.42%) |
| Body building | 4 (33.33%) | 6 (31.57%) |
| Other sports (soccer, tennis, t'ai chi) | 1 (8.33 %) | 2 (10.52%) |
| Medical history | ||
| Joint pain/stiffness: (knee, shoulder, elbow, hip, etc.) | 6 (50%) | 14 (73.68%) |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 1 (8.33%) | 2 (10.52%) |
| Degenerative osteoarthritis (knees) | 1 (8.33 %) | 1 (5.26 %) |
| Back pain (herniated disc, lumbago) | 2 (16.67 %) | 3 (15.78%) |
| Tendonitis (shoulder, elbow, wrist) | 3 (25 %) | 3 (15.78 %) |
a
Data are expressed as median±standard deviation of number of participants, except for gender distribution of male:female (m:f) that is expressed as a ratio.