Table 8.

Final focus group themes summarised, with illustrative quotations.

Theme	Sub-theme	Quotations
Acceptability of the interventions	Comfort/discomfort of somatosensory stimulation interventions	MTS group: “Some parts of it were painful. sticking your thumb in” (Edward, FG3) “Painful for the first couple of sessions, after that it was okay” (Evelyn, FG3) TI group: “I felt surprised actually because when I first saw them I thought “oh dear these are going to be prickly”, and they weren't” (Olivia, FG 4) “The textured one on the left foot, when you got used to it, it's more comfortable than the plain one” (Brian, FG 2) “Once they was in the shoes they stopped there till I went to bed” (Isaac, FG 2) “I transferred it from different shoes that I was wearing, I even put it in my slippers” (Nadine, FG 2)
	Challenges of TSGT	Tiring: “I did need to rest afterwards” (Nancy, FG 3) “I used to feel tired the next day” (Phoebe, FG 3)
	Confidence building	MTS group: “My wife isn't the same as you standing there. You do give me confidence.as soon as you dropped off, my confidence dropped” (Harry, FG 1) “…gave me the confidence to go out, back out, and to walk with a stick” (Jackie, FG 3) “…gave me confidence; you said to me one…one day “you're going to walk now without your stick”…I went from the kitchen into the living room, and I was REALLY surprised at that!” (Harry, FG 1) “Well, if it weren't for that treatment I wouldn't be walking now…My wife thinks the same. if it wasn't for you…I wouldn't be walking now, I should be static” (Harry, FG 1) “Where I would have gone down…now I find my balance a lot easier.” (Phoebe, FG 3) TI group: “Having someone who knows what they're talking about, that helps…with confidence” (Olivia, FG 4) “It's helped me to achieve my goal and more, um, because I'm now trying things that I wouldn't have tried before.yes, it has absolutely without a doubt. I am even walking, walking on my own now without a walking stick” (Nadine, FG 2) “Knowing that I'd got control of my knee meant there was no fear of falling, and I haven't fallen” (Henry, FG 2) “Well, life after the trial has been good, because I'm able to get up and move about a bit on my own, transfers…so I'm not a burden on somebody else” (Henry, FG 2)
Acceptability of the outcome measures	Usefulness of feedback	MTS group: “You showed me the clip of me walking three months ago and I couldn't believe it was me… it had changed dramatically how you're moving; well, one was just moving just through the room and, er it was quite remarkable to see the, the knee and this walking” (Trevor, FG 1) TI group: “I thought to myself this is measuring the outcome of the progress that I have made and I was quite happy with that” (Nadine, FG 2) “You know the pressure sensors that you put in the, er, in the shoes…and then on the computer screen showing equal pressure on both feet I thought that was amazing” (Henry, FG 2)
	Safety	“You've got to beware haven't you, of tripping?” (Edgar, FG 4)
Overall study experience	Intensive therapy at home	MTS Group: “It was ideal. I felt more confident in my own surroundings… it gave you the confidence to do that bit more because you were secure in your surroundings” (Michelle, FG 3) “Without you coming to the house, I don't think I would have completed the course because I would think ‘oh, it's too much trouble to go and get ready and go out”’ (Jackie, FG 3) “I would still have gone [to the hospital] …but it's convenient you coming at home” (Dennis, FG 3) “I felt it was a bit …stressful, a bit ‘oh no, she's coming again’… for it to be every day it seemed too much” (Trevor, FG 1) TI Group: “I felt comfortable because it was in my own house and felt as though I'd got more control over it as well” (Nadine, FG 2) “Many people are interfering with your life” (Frank, FG 1)
	Ending the study	MTS Group: “When it all finished I felt like, bloody hell, what am I going to do now?” (Dennis, FG 3) “It feels a whole lot better but I'm gutted you've left” (Evelyn, FG 3) “I felt sorry it had finished because I felt it was doing me good” (Jackie, FG 3) TI Group: “After the trial finished…I experienced a sense of loss” (Nadine, FG 2)

FG, Focus group; MTS, Mobilization and tactile stimulation; TIs, Textured insoles.