Table 1.
Descriptive data
| Variable | Acupuncture, n=56 | TENS, n=57 | Excluded after baseline test, n=15 |
| Maternal age, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 30.5 (3.96) 30.0 (20.0; 38.0) |
31.1 (4.38) 32.0 (22.0; 43.0) |
31.9 (3.92) 32.0 (27.0; 40.0) |
| Gestational weeks, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 20.9 (5.32) 21.5 (11.0; 28.0) |
20.8 (5.18) 22.0 (10.0; 28.0) |
22.4 (5.17) 24.0 (13.0; 28.0) |
| BMI, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 25.6 (4.53) 25.0 (19.5; 41.8) |
26.5 (3.87) 26.2 (19.7; 35.0), n=55 |
27.6 (5.83) 27.6 (18.2; 41.0) |
| Parity, n (%) | |||
| 0 | 21 (37.5) | 22 (38.6) | 6 (40.0) |
| 1 | 30 (53.6) | 28 (49.1) | 5 (33.3) |
| ≥2 | 5 (8.9) | 7 (12.3) | 4 (26.7) |
| Education level, n (%) | |||
| Elementary school | 1 (1.8) | 2 (3.5) | 0 |
| High school | 12 (22.4) | 20 (35.1) | 3 (20.0) |
| Higher education | 43 (76.8) | 35 (61.4) | 12 (80.0) |
| Occupation, n (%) | |||
| Paid employment | 47 (83.9) | 47 (82.5) | 14 (93.3) |
| Not in paid employment | 3 (5.4) | 3 (5.3) | 0 |
| Parental leave | 0 | 2 (3.5) | 0 |
| Combination | 2 (3.6) | 3 (5.3) | 0 |
| Other | 4 (7.1) | 2 (3.5) | 1 (6.7) |
| Sick leave, n (%) | 9 (16.1) | 7 (12.3) | 3 (20.0) |
| Manage financially, n (%) | |||
| Very well | 22 (39.3) | 34 (59.6) | 7 (46.7) |
| Quite well | 30 (53.6) | 21 (36.8) | 7 (46.7) |
| Neither well or badly | 4 (7.1) | 2 (3.5) | 1 (6.7) |
| Quite badly | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Very badly | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LBP/PGP last 4 weeks, n (%) | 56 (100) | 57 (100) | 15 (100) |
| Pain affects daily activities, n (%) | 53 (94.6) | 57 (100) | 15 (100) |
| Pain how often, n (%) | |||
| Some days | 3 (5.4) | 7 (12.3) | 0 |
| Most days | 16 (28.6) | 19 (33.3) | 8 (53.3) |
| Every day | 37 (66.1) | 31 (54.4) | 7 (46.7) |
| Use of analgesics, n (%) | 6 (10.9), n=55 | 3 (5.3) | 0 |
| ODI, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 34.5 (13.19) 34.0 (8.0; 68.0) |
30.1 (11.82) 30.0 (8.0; 60.0) |
32.5 (12.22) 32.0 (12.0; 52.0) |
| PSFS NRS, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 2.8 (1.46) 2.5 (0; 7.0) |
3.2 (1.55) 3.0 (0; 7.5) |
3.9 (2.33) 3.0 (0.5; 9.0) |
| Work ability NRS, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 6.2 (2.36) 7.0 (0; 10.0), n=55 |
6.7 (2.41) 7.0 (0; 10.0), n=56 |
5.7 (3.02) 6.0 (0; 9.0) |
| Recommended PA; yes, n (%) | 13 (23.2) | 14 (24.6) | 6 (40) |
| PGQ total, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 49.3 (17.70) 50.7 (8.0; 90.7), n=55 |
47.0 (12.91) 45.6 (22.2; 82.6), n=56 |
53.2 (18.1) 60.0 (20.0; 77.3) |
| PGQ activity, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 48.1 (17.76) 50.0 (6.7; 90.0), n=55 |
46.3 (13.55) 45.3 (24.6; 82.5), n=56 |
52.1 (18.63) 58.3 (16.7; 76.7) |
| PGQ symptom, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 51.5 (17.17) 53.3 (13.3; 93.3), n=55 |
49.4 (13.27) 46.7 (13.3; 73.3) |
57.1 (15.98) 60.0 (26.67; 80.0) |
| Evening pain intensity NRS, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 6.8 (1.95) 7.0 (2.0; 10.0), n=55 |
6.6 (1.56) 7.0 (3.0; 9.0) |
7.4 (1.56) 8.0 (4.0; 9.0) |
| Concern about pain NRS, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 4.2 (2.44) 5.0 (0; 10.0) |
4.6 (2.34) 5.0 (0; 10.0) |
4.7 (2.69) 5.0 (0; 10.0) |
| EQ5D, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 0.55 (0.28) 0.69 (–0.13; 0.85) |
0.63 (0.19) 0.69 (–0.02; 0.89), n=55 |
0.55 (0.25) 0.66 (0.06; 0.8) |
| EQ VAS, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 61.1 (16.27) 65.0 (20.0; 90.0) |
64.4 (17.17) 70.0 (17.0; 97.0) |
60.1 (12.69) 60.0 (40.0; 80.0) |
| EPDS score, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 7.6 (4.11) 7.0 (1.0; 19.0), n=54 |
8.0 (4.97) 8.0 (0; 18.0), n=56 |
7.6 (3.92) 7.5 (2.0; 14.0) |
| CSQ-CAT, mean (SD), median (min; max) | 8.0 (6.65) 7.0 (0; 27.0) |
6.7 (4.98) 7.0 (0; 24.0) |
8.2 (6.41) 9.0 (0; 20.0) |
BMI, body mass index (kg/m2); CSQ-CAT, Coping Strategies Questionnaire subscale ‘Catastrophizing’; EPDS, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; EQ5D, EuroQol 5-dimension; LBP, low back pain; NRS, Numeric Rating Scale; ODI, Oswestry Disability Index; PA, physical activity; PGP, pelvic girdle pain; PGQ, Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire; PSFS, Patient-Specific Functional Scale; TENS, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation;; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.