. 2022 Jan 10;26(1):100383. doi: 10.1016/j.bjpt.2021.100383

Table 3.

Summary of findings and certainty of evidence GRADE for Bracing versus no brace for OPVF.

	Certainty of Evidence							No. of Participants		Effect (95%CI)	Certainty
No. of Studies	Study design	Risk of Bias	Inconsistency	Indirectness	Imprecision	Publication bias	Outcome	Brace	No brace
Rigid brace vs no brace
2	RCT	Not serious	Serious	Not serious	Serious	Undetected	Pain intensity	50	50	MD = 2.61 (0.95, 4.27)	Low^a ^b
Soft brace vs no brace
2	RCT	Not serious	Serious	Not serious	Serious	Undetected	Pain intensity	49	50	MD = 2.39 (-0.45, 5.23)	Low^a ^b
Rigid brace vs no brace
2	RCT	Not serious	Serious	Not serious	Serious	Undetected	QOL	50	50	SMD = -0.55 (-1.43, 0.33)	Low^a ^b
Soft brace vs no brace
2	RCT	Not serious	Serious	Not serious	Serious	Undetected	QOL	49	50	SMD = -0.49 (-1.76, 0.78)	Low^a ^b
Rigid brace vs no brace
2	RCT	Not serious	Not serious	Not serious	Serious	Undetected	Activity	50	50	SMD = -0.13 (-0.54, 0.28)	Moderate^b
Soft brace vs no brace
2	RCT	Not serious	Serious	Not serious	Serious	Undetected	Activity	49	50	SMD = 0.68 (-0.84, 2.19)	Low^a ^b

MD, mean difference; QOL, quality of life; RCT, randomized controlled trial; SMD, standardized mean difference.

Downgraded due to inconsistency – there was statistical heterogeneity (I² values > 25%) with the studies showing differing estimates of the effect size.

Downgraded due to imprecision – there were very large confidence intervals with the higher end indicating appreciable benefit and the lower end indicating either a little effect or worse outcome.