Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of the Trial Participants, by Treatment Group*
| Characteristic | Tai Chi (n = 106) | Physical Therapy (n = 98) |
|---|---|---|
| Mean age (SD), y | 60.3 (10.5) | 60.1 (10.5) |
|
| ||
| Female, n (%) | 75 (71) | 68 (69) |
| Race, n (%) | ||
|
| ||
| White | 54 (51) | 54 (55) |
|
| ||
| Black | 41 (39) | 31 (32) |
|
| ||
| Asian | 4 (4) | 2 (2) |
|
| ||
| Other | 7 (7) | 11 (11) |
|
| ||
| Mean body mass index (SD), kg/m2 | 33.0 (7.1) | 32.6 (7.3) |
|
| ||
| Mean duration of knee pain (SD), y | 8.1 (10.3) | 8.5 (9.9) |
| Kellgren-Lawrence grade, n (%)† | ||
|
| ||
| 0 | 1 (1) | 4 (4) |
|
| ||
| 1 | 7 (7) | 3 (3) |
|
| ||
| 2 | 37 (36) | 38 (39) |
|
| ||
| 3 | 41 (40) | 32 (33) |
|
| ||
| 4 | 17 (16) | 21 (21) |
|
| ||
| NSAID use before study, n (%) | 66 (62) | 57 (59) |
|
| ||
| Analgesic use before study, n (%) | 39 (37) | 31 (32) |
|
| ||
| Self-reported comorbidities, n (%) | ||
| Heart disease | 8 (8) | 8 (8) |
|
| ||
| Hypertension | 56 (53) | 46 (47) |
|
| ||
| Diabetes | 23 (22) | 15 (15) |
|
| ||
| Mean WOMAC pain score (SD) (range, 0–500), mm‡ | 254.8 (95.5) | 252.9 (101.9) |
|
| ||
| Mean WOMAC physical function score (SD) (range, 0–1700), mm‡ | 912.1 (338.5) | 884.7 (368.1) |
|
| ||
| Mean Patient Global Assessment score (SD) (range, 0–10), cm‡ | 5.3 (2.1) | 5.1 (2.3) |
|
| ||
| Mean SF-36 score (SD) (range, 0–100)§ | ||
| Physical component | 36.5 (8.3) | 36.7 (10.0) |
|
| ||
| Mental component | 52.6 (9.3) | 52.4 (9.2) |
|
| ||
| Mean Beck Depression Inventory-II score (SD) (range, 0–63)‡ | 7.8 (9.0) | 7.5 (8.3) |
|
| ||
| Mean Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale score (SD) (range, 1–10)§ | 6.1 (2.0) | 6.3 (2.2) |
|
| ||
| Mean 6-min walk test score (SD), m | 391.2 (91.7) | 400.1 (88.7) |
|
| ||
| Mean 20-m walk test score (SD), s | 19.6 (6.3) | 18.4 (3.9) |
|
| ||
| Mean Outcome Expectations for Exercise Scale score (SD) (range, 0–5)§ | 3.9 (0.5) | 3.9 (0.6) |
NSAID = nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug; SF-36 = 36-Item Short Form Health Survey; WOMAC = Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index.
*
Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding.
†
Five participants who had a grade of 0 met eligibility criteria because they had a definite osteophyte in the patellofemoral region.
‡
Higher scores reflect more severe symptoms.
§
Higher scores indicate better status.