Table 2.

Per-protocol design WOMAC subscale scores and score changes.

WOMAC subscales	Acupressure group (n = 8)		Control group (n = 16)		Repeated measure	Mann-Whitney
	Score	Score change	Score	Score change	ANOVA, P a	U test, P b
Pain					N/A
Baseline (0–6 week)	13.75 ± 3.33	− 1.30 ± 2.31	14.44 ± 2.99	− 1.33 ± 2.20		0.91
6 week (6–12 week)	12.63 ± 3.70	0.50 ± 3.42	13.06 ± 3.34	0.44 ± 2.00		0.49
12 week (0–12 week)	13.13 ± 4.49	−0.63 ± 3.93	13.50 ± 3.20	−1.11 ± 2.79		0.78
Stiffness					N/A
Baseline (0–6 week)	6.75 ± 1.67	−1.60 ± 2.50	6.56 ± 1.03	−0.61 ± 1.69		0.41
6 week (6–12 week)	5.13 ± 2.30	0.50 ± 1.60	5.94 ± 1.77	0.31 ± 1.30		0.45
12 week (0–12 week)	5.63 ± 2.45	−1.13 ± 2.90	6.25 ± 1.65	−0.05 ± 1.39		0.28
Physical function					0.02*
Baseline (0–6 week)	56.71 ± 16.60	−9.78 ± 11.04	48.93 ± 10.39	−4.18 ± 4.50		0.07
6 week (6–12 week)	43.86 ± 13.06	1.00 ± 9.97	44.40 ± 11.21	1.00 ± 6.55		0.98
12 week (0–12 week)	42.43 ± 15.97	−14.29 ± 8.48	44.93 ± 12.48	−4.61 ± 6.52		0.03*
Total scores					N/A
Baseline (0–6 week)	77.29 ± 21.48	−13.22 ± 14.17	70.40 ± 13.19	−6.18 ± 7.08		0.24
6 week (6–12 week)	61.00 ± 18.46	2.00 ± 14.60	63.80 ± 15.25	1.75 ± 8.81		0.88
12 week (0–12 week)	59.71 ± 21.42	−17.57 ± 13.40	64.93 ± 16.69	−5.94 ± 8.85		0.07

^aRepeated measure ANOVA performed only when ANOVA assumptions were met. N/A indicates that ANOVA assumptions were not met.

^bMann-Whitney U test performed for all subscale score changes.

*P < 0.05.