Table 2 Characteristics of included studies and patients

Abbott (2013) [30]

New Zealand

1

156

71/85

67.30 ± 10.20 E

66.90 ± 8.20 C

66.10 ± 10.70 C

2.50 ± 1.40 E, Y

2.60 ± 1.40 C, Y

2.80 ± 1.30 C, Y

NR

Manual therapy

Exercise therapy/usual care

VAS

-

Chiranthanut (2014) [31]

Thailand

1

60

16/44

65.45 ± 9.75 E

63.70 ± 6.07 C

62.25 ± 9.50 C

7.37 ± 7.16 E, Y

6.45 ± 4.87 C, Y

7.95 ± 8.20 C, Y

II −IV

Thai massage

Herb application/oral analgesics

VAS

 + 

Dong (2021) [32]

China

1

210

138/72

61.90 ± 6.70 E

62.40 ± 7.30 C

2.40 ± 0.70 E, Y

2.90 ± 0.30 C, Y

0 − II

Chinese massage

Herb application

VAS and WOMAC pain

-

Feng (2014) [33]

China

1

62

21/41

62.13 ± 4.47

2.89 ± 0.31, Y

NR

Chinese massage

Acupuncture

WOMAC pain

NR

Fitzgerald (2016) [34]

USA

3

226

74/152

58.30 ± 9.80 E

58.40 ± 8.70 C

58.00 ± 10.00 C

 < 1 Y 26

1–2 Y 29

3–5 Y 46

5–10 Y 70

 > 10 Y 55

NR

Manual therapy

Exercise therapy/usual care

VAS

 + 

Lai (2020) [35]

China

1

40

17/23

65.29 ± 10.55 E

65.70 ± 10.16 C

4.12 ± 0.50 E, Y

4.03 ± 0.51 C, Y

NR

Manual therapy

Moxibustion

VAS

NR

Liang (2012) [36]

China

1

60

16/44

56.17 ± 9.48 E

58.26 ± 11.92 C

13.24 ± 6.53 E, M

10.75 ± 7.12 C, M

0–II

Manual therapy

Acupuncture

VAS

NR

Lin (2018) [37]

China

1

60

13/43

60.66 ± 6.07 E

60.83 ± 5.86 C

NR

NR

Chinese massage

Herbal application

WOMAC pain

-

Liu (2019) [38]

China

1

60

19/41

61.37 ± 10.31 E

62.83 ± 8.66 C

20.45 ± 7.27 E, M

21.63 ± 4.93 C, M

0–IV

Manual therapy

Herbal application

VAS

-

Peng (2018) [39]

China

1

98

44/54

55.19 ± 8.24 E

56.07 ± 9.24 C

1.82 ± 0.91 E, Y

1.78 ± 0.85 C, Y

NR

Chinese massage

Intra-articular injection

VAS and WOMAC pain

NR

Perlman (2006) [40]

USA

2

68

15/53

70.40 ± 11.30 E

66.20 ± 11.30 C

NR

NR

Swedish massage

Usual care

VAS

 + 

Perlman (2012) [41]

USA

2

50

38,12

62.60 ± 10.60 E

63.60 ± 10.20 C

NR

NR

Swedish massage

Usual care

VAS

-

Qu (2020) [42]

China

1

100

42/58

43–60

NR

NR

Chinese massage

Herbal application

VAS

NR

Wu (2015) [43]

China

1

60

18/42

63.37 ± 5.76 E

64.58 ± 4.24 C

5.26 ± 3.21 E, Y

4.86 ± 3.73 C, Y

NR

Manual therapy

Usual care

WOMAC pain

NR

Xu (2021) [44]

China

1

91

13/74

70.07 ± 3.85 E

69.80 ± 3.51 C

40.18 ± 19.56 E, M

39.81 ± 19.19 C, M

I-III

Chinese massage

Oral analgesics

VAS

 + 

Yao (2018) [45]

China

1

72

33/39

57.34 ± 11.56 E

56.82 ± 12.41 C

4.06 ± 1.25 E, Y

4.22 ± 1.47 C, Y

I-III

Chinese massage

Oral analgesics

VAS

NR

Yuan (2018) [46]

China

1

74

21/52

61.00 ± 9.70 E

58.20 ± 10.80 C

9.05 ± 7.90 E, Y

10.40 ± 8.50 C, Y

NR

Chinese massage

Oral analgesics

WOMAC pain

NR

Zhang (2014) [47]

China

1

120

95/25

61.82 ± 7.73 E

62.43 ± 6.13 C

8.29 ± 3.07 E, Y

8.81 ± 3.26 C, Y

NR

Chinese massage

Acupuncture

WOMAC pain

NR

Zhang (2018) [48]

China

1

60

41/19

59.80 ± 7.25 E

63.40 ± 4.98 C

9.20 ± 2.50 E, Y

8.80 ± 1.40 C, Y

NR

Chinese massage

Acupuncture

VAS

NR

Yang (2022) [49]

China

1

448

134/314

54.95 ± 11.26 E

58.26 ± 9.32 C

6.50 ± 4.76 E, Y

5.00 ± 6.12 C, Y

I–II

Chinese massage

Acupuncture

VAS

-

Xu (2022) [50]

China

1

68

31/37

58.00 ± 4.74 E

60.82 ± 7.40 C

18.62 ± 6.61 E, M

21.74 ± 10.12 C, M

I–III

Chinese massage

Cupping

VAS

-

Ma (2022) [51]

China

1

74

33/41

54.17 ± 8.62 E

54.78 ± 9.13 C

30.54 ± 42.17 E, M

31.24 ± 41.76 C, M

I–III

Chinese massage

Intra-articular injection

VAS

-

Liu (2022) [52]

China

1

90

29/61

58.80 ± 7.60 E

58.90 ± 7.80 E

58.80 ± 7.10 C

5.30 ± 2.50 E, Y

5.40 ± 2.90 E, Y

5.40 ± 3.30 C, Y

I–III

Chinese massage

Exercise therapy

VAS

-

Liu (2023) [53]

China

1

96

38/58

60.33 ± 3.44 E

59.56 ± 3.57 C

NR

0–III

Chinese massage

Usual care

VAS

 + 

Guo (2022) [54]

China

1

151

71/80

62.00 ± 7.80 E

61.50 ± 7.20 C

63.20 ± 8.00 C

5.80 ± 4.80 E, Y

6.20 ± 5.50 C, Y

5.60 ± 5.90 C, Y

NR

Chinese massage

Usual care/exercise therapy

VAS and WOMAC pain

NR