Table 3 ANCOVA and results of the WOMAC, muscle strength, and functional fitness between the groups.

WOMAC ^a

-

-

-

-

-

8.586

0.006

0.22

Muscle strength (kg)

 Hip abductors ^b

13.16

2.56

11.27

2.77

2.36 (1.28, 3.44)

20.98

5.67*10^–5

0.38

 Hip adductors ^b

12.34

2.86

9.58

2.93

3.04 (1.38, 4.69)

14.03

0.001

0.31

 Hip flexors ^b

15.51

3.24

12.04

3.19

4.01(2.24, 5.78)

21.30

6.46*10^–5

0.41

 Hip extensors ^b

15.23

2.75

12.58

2.73

2.88(1.64, 4.12)

22.54

4.43*10^–5

0.42

 Knee flexors ^b

12.43

2.70

9.81

2.59

2.03(0.66, 3.41)

9.08

0.005

0.23

 Knee extensors ^b

14.75

2.77

12.28

2.22

1.80(0.65, 2.94)

10.28

0.003

0.25

Functional Fitness

 30-s chair stand (no. of times) ^b

14.80

4.41

13.22

3.47

0.66(-1.96, 3.27)

0.26

0.612

0.09

 Functional-reach test (cm) ^b

30.56

4.85

26.44

4.35

3.74(0.68, 6.80)

6.20

0.018

0.17

 10-m walk test (s) ^a

-

-

-

-

-

0.68

0.417

0.02