Comparability of intervention groups at baseline1-150. Results are given as number (%) except where otherwise stated
| Exercise therapy (n=98) | Control (n=102) | |
| Sex (female) | 76 (78) | 81 (79) |
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 68.3 (8.4) | 67.7 (9.2) |
| Comorbidity | 63 (64) | 62 (62) |
| Location of OA | ||
| Knee | 58 (59) | 61 (60) |
| Hip | 36 (37) | 35 (34) |
| Both | 4 (4) | 6 (6) |
| Duration of complaints (years) | ||
| ⩽0.5 | 34 (35) | 42 (41) |
| 0.5–⩽1 | 13 (13) | 12 (12) |
| 1–⩽5 | 29 (30) | 25 (25) |
| >5 | 22 (22) | 23 (23) |
| Radiological OA (score ⩾ 1) | ||
| Joint space narrowing | 62 (69) | 55 (60) |
| Osteophytes | 65 (72) | 65 (71) |
| Previous medical treatment | 59 (61) | 64 (64) |
| Pain in past week (VAS1-151 0–100), mean (SD) | 46.9 (27.7) | 43.1 (26.8) |
| At assessment,1-151 mean (SD) | 34.0 (27.2) | 28.7 (26.0) |
| Drug use in past week (taking) | ||
| Paracetamol | 51 (52) | 39 (38) |
| NSAIDs1-151 | 34 (35) | 23 (23) |
| Observed disability | ||
| 5 m walking time (s), median (IQR1-151) | 4.9 (4.3–6.0) | 5.0 (4.3–6.0) |
| Sit time (s), median (IQR) | 3.4 (2.9–4.1) | 3.4 (2.9–4.0) |
| Recline time (s), median (IQR) | 6.9 (5.4–9.0) | 6.1 (5.1–7.9) |
| Guarding (0–1), mean (SD) | 0.58 (0.48) | 0.53 (0.50) |
| Rigidity (0–1), mean (SD) | 0.34 (0.38) | 0.33 (0.37) |
↵1-150 Missing values: comorbidity (1 in exercise therapy, 2 in controls); duration of complaints (2 in exercise therapy, 6 in controls); radiological OA (7 in exercise therapy, 12 in controls); previous medical treatment (1 in exercise therapy, 2 in controls).
↵1-151 VAS = visual analogue scale; NSAIDs = non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; IQR = interquartile range.