| Outcomes | Studies (n) | Patients (n) | Effect size | 95% CI | χ2 (heterogeneity) | p Value (heterogeneity) |
| Pain | 180 | 14 686 | 0.51 | 0.46 to 0.55 | 555.31 | <0.001 |
| Function | 80 | 8289 | 0.49 | 0.44 to 0.54 | 180.81 | <0.001 |
| Stiffness | 72 | 7529 | 0.43 | 0.38 to 0.49 | 150.22 | <0.001 |
| Doctor’s global assessment | 21 | 3459 | 0.66 | 0.53 to 0.78 | 113.29 | <0.001 |
| Walking time/distance (vs pain) | 11 | 526 | 0.22 (0.51) | 0.08 to 0.35 (0.36 to 0.65) | 11.87 (18.0) | 0.29 (0.08) |
| Quadriceps strength (vs pain) | 2 | 35 | −0.24 (0.10) | −0.72 to 0.23 (−0.37 to 0.57) | 0.58 (0.59) | 0.45 (0.44) |
| Joint space width (vs pain) | 5 | 458 | 0.32 (0.44) | 0.17 to 0.46 (0.11 to 0.46) | 4.58 (12.09) | 0.33 (0.01) |
| Knee circumference (vs pain) | 2 | 65 | 0.45 (0.56) | −0.21 to 1.10 (0.09 to 1.03) | 6.23 (3.43) | 0.04 (0.18) |
| Range of motion (vs pain) | 3 | 134 | 0.04 (0.48) | −0.36 to 0.43 (0.13 to 0.83) | 0.83 (1.19) | 0.66 (0.75) |
Figures in parenthesis present the effect size for pain in the same group of trials.