Table 2.

Response of defecation induced by manual defecation stimulation.

Groups	Sampling	Evaluation time (weeks)	Defecation rate (%)	Defecation reaction time (min)	Number of faecal particles
Intact rats	n = 12	4	40	1.6 ± 1.2	2.3 ± 0.6
		12	42	1.4 ± 1.5	2.3 ± 1.2
			41	1.5 ± 1.3	2.35 ± 1.1
Rats with S	n = 12	4	42	1.5 ± 1.4	2.5 ± 1.3
		12	42	1.3 ± 1.0	2.4 ± 1.4
			42‡	1.4 ± 1.3	2.45 ± 1.2‡
SCI rats	n = 10	4	70	2.3 ± 1.1	1.1 ± 1.2
		12	65	2.2 ± 1.5	1.3 ± 1.2
			67.5†	2.3 ± 1.2	1.2 ± 1.2†
SCI rats with S	n = 10	4	50	1.5 ± 0.9	2.3 ± 1.1
		12	45	1.7 ± 1.2	2.4 ± 1.5
			47.5*	1.6 ± 1.2	2.4 ± 1.2*

Defecation reaction time, the time from the beginning of the massage stimulation to that the first faecal particle was excreted. Bold type, the average of the two time points. *p < 0.05, comparison between SCI Rats with S and SCI Rats; ^†p < 0.05, between SCI Rats and Intact Rats; ^‡p < 0.05, between Rats with S and SCI Rats (Chi-square test or two-way ANOVA).