Table 2 Scores of outcome measures pre/post-intervention and their within-group differences (mean, standard and median) and the results of the comparative analysis of the two groups (p values and effect size)
Outcome measure | Measurement time | PEMFT (n = 20) Mean ± SD, median | Time effect (p value)/effect size | LLLT (n = 20) Mean ± SD, median | Time effect (p value)/effect size | Group effect (p value)/effect size | Group × Time effect (p value)/effect size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VAS: | |||||||
 VAS rest (0-10) | Pre | 5.2 ± 1.1, 5.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 5.1 ± 1.1, 5.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 0.85 0.03 |  |
Post | 1.0 ± 0.9, 1.0 | 3.1 ± 0.8, 3.0 | < 0.0001 0.76 |  | |||
Delta | −4.2 ± 1.2, − 4.0 |  | −2.1 ± 0.8, − 2.0 |  |  | < 0.0001┼ 0.72 | |
 VAS walking (0-10) | Pre | 6.8 ± 1.0, 7.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 6.8 ± 1.1, 7.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 0.84 0.03 |  |
Post | 3.6 ± 1.1, 3.5 | 3.1 ± 0.9, 3.0 | 0.14 0.2 |  | |||
Delta | −3.2 ± 1.0, − 3.0 |  | −3.7 ± 1.1, − 4.0 |  |  | 0.06 0.30 | |
 VAS rising to standing (0-10) | Pre | 8.0 ± 1.0, 8.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 8.0 ± 0.8, 8.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 0.8291 0.03 |  |
Post | 3.4 ± 1.0, 3.0 | 4.9 ± 0.8, 5.0 | < 0.0001 0.66 |  | |||
Delta | −4.7 ± 1.2, − 5.0 |  | − 3.2 ± 0.9, − 3.0 |  |  | 0.0002┼ 0.58 | |
 VAS stairs (0-10) | Pre | 8.7 ± 0.6, 9.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 8.6 ± 0.5, 9.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 0.61/0.10 |  |
Post | 3.9 ± 0.9, 4.0 | 5.5 ± 1.1, 5.0 | < 0.0001 0.63 |  | |||
Delta | −3.1 ± 1.0, −5.0 |  | −3.2 ± 1.2, − 3.0 |  |  | 0.0002┼ 0.59 | |
WOMAC: | |||||||
 Total score (0-96) | Pre | 72.2 ± 7.2, 74.5 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 72.5 ± 9.3, 75.5 | < 0.0001 0.5 | 0.63/0.08 |  |
Post | 53.3 ± 9.0, 52.5 | 62.4 ± 8.7,63.0 | 0.004 0.45 |  | |||
Delta | −19.0 ± 8.0, 19.0 |  | −10.0 ± 3.3, 9.5 |  |  | 0.0002┼ 0.58 | |
 Pain subscale (0-20) | Before | 16.1 ± 1.9, 16.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 15.1 ± 2.0, 15.5 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 0.1390 0.23 |  |
After | 8.4 ± 1.9, 8.0 | 10.7 ± 1.8, 11.0 | 0.0009 0.52 |  | |||
Delta | −7.7 ± 2.3, −8.0 |  | −4.5 ± 1.3, − 4.0 |  |  | < 0.0001┼ 0.66 | |
 Stuffiness subscale (0-8) | Pre | 4.5 ± 1.6, 4.0 | 0.0013 0.26 | 3.2 ± 1.8, 3.0 | 0.0002 0.35 | 0.02/ 0.36 |  |
Post | 3.3 ± 1.8, 3.0 | 2.3 ± 1.3, 2.0 | 0.11 0.25 |  | |||
Delta | −1.2 ± 1.2, − 1.0 |  | −0.9 ± 0.8, − 1.0 |  |  | 0.51 0.11 | |
 Physical function subscale (0-68) | Pre | 51.7 ± 5.5, 51.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 54.2 ± 7.2, 56.5 | < 0.0001 0.41 | 0.14 0.23 |  |
Post | 41.6 ± 7.1, 42.0 | 49.5 ± 7.0, 51.5 | 0.0015 0.50 |  | |||
Delta | −10.1 ± 6.3, − 10.0 |  | −4.7 ± 2.9, − 4.0 |  |  | 0.001┼ 0.52 | |
 TUG (seconds) | Pre | 14.9 ± 1.3, 15.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 15.0 ± 2.0, 15.0 | < 0.0001 0.43 | 0.8907 0.14 |  |
Post | 11.9 ± 1.4,12.0 | 13.5 ± 1.9, 13.5 | 0.0068 0.43 |  | |||
Delta | −1.6 ± 1.2, −3.0 |  | −1.5 ± 0.9, − 1.5 |  |  | 0.0003┼ 0.57 | |
 10 MW (seconds) | Pre | 12.3 ± 1.0, 12.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 12.4 ± 1.3, 13.0 | < 0.0001 0.50 | 0.6128 0.08 |  |
Post | 10.8 ± 1.2, 11.0 | 10.4 ± 1.2, 10.0 | 0.0854 0.27 |  | |||
Delta | −1.5 ± 0.9, − 1.5 |  | −2.1 ± 1.2, − 2.0 |  |  | 0.0854 0.27 | |