Description of included studies
| Sample characteristics | Intervention content | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | Inclusion criteria | Control group | Adherence intervention group | Control intervention | Adherence intervention |
| Chronic low back pain studies | |||||
| Basler et al33 2007, Germany | Aged ≥65 years. Diagnosis of chronic LBP. Self-reported pain at time of inclusion. | N=84 Age: 70±5 Women: 65.5% | N=86 Age: 70±4 Women: 62.8% | 10× 20 min sessions with physiotherapist over 5 weeks + home exercise programme: stretching and tailored exercise (strength, endurance, coordination) +10 min of sham ultrasound prior to session. | Control intervention (excluding sham ultrasound) +10 min of counselling at each session, delivered by the physiotherapist, focusing on readiness to change and increasing self-efficacy. |
| Freidrich et al34 1998, Austria | Aged 20–60 years. Topographic criteria for chronic LBP ± radiation—back pain ≥4 months or ≥3 episodes of LBP in past 6 months with current episode lasting ≥2 months. | N=49 Age: 45±11 Women: 45% | N=44 Age: 43±10 Women: 57% | 10× 25 min exercise sessions over 4–5 weeks. Individual, submaximal, gradually increased exercise programme aiming to improve spinal mobility, trunk and lower limb muscles strength and length. | Control intervention + motivation programme delivered by therapist during sessions, consisting of: education about importance of exercise; counselling and positive reinforcement techniques; written exercise contract; exercise diary. |
| Vong et al41 2011, Hong Kong | Aged 18–65 years. Diagnosis of LBP for >3 months. | N=38 Age: 45±11 Women: 68% | N=38 Age: 45±11 Women: 58% | 10× 30 min sessions over 8 weeks with physiotherapist consisting of 15 min of interferential + tailored back exercise programme and daily home exercise programme. | Control intervention + Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) techniques integrated into sessions, including supporting appropriate behaviour change and increasing self-efficacy. |
| Hip and/or knee osteoarthritis studies | |||||
| Bennell et al37 2014, Australia | Aged ≥45 years. Knee pain ≥25mm on VAS. Radiographic medial tibiofemoral OA. Pain predominantly medial knee. | N=38 Age: 64±7 Women: 47% | N=40 Age: 61±7 Women: 60% | 10–14× 30 min individual exercise sessions with a physiotherapist over 12 weeks. Advice to continue an unsupervised home exercise programme of strengthening or neuromuscular retraining exercises 4× week for 24 weeks (from the end of the original 12-week period). | Control intervention +2× 30 mi individual ‘booster’ sessions with a physiotherapist over 16 weeks (at weeks 8 and 16 from the end of the original RCT 12-week period). Reviewed and progressed home exercise programme content and dose, discussed barriers to exercise adherence and strategies to overcome these. |
| Brosseau et al40 2012, Canada | Mild-to-moderate unilateral/bilateral knee OA according to ACR clinical and radiographic/MRI criteria. Pain >3 months. | N=79 Age: 64±10 Women: 70% | N=69 Age: 64±8 Women: 74% | 3× 65 min group walking sessions supervised by a physical activity specialist per week for 12 months; monetary compensation for each walking session attended; educational pamphlet; logbook; pedometer. | Control intervention +20× 2-hour group sessions over 20 weeks with a trained instructor including short-term and long-term goal setting, education about physical activity benefits + monthly face-to-face counselling targeting strategies to overcome barriers to adherence for the first 6 months followed by monthly telephone calls 6–12 months. |
| O'Brien et al39 2013, New Zealand | Aged ≥50 years. Hip or knee OA according to ACR clinical and radiographic criteria. | N=17 Age: 64±11 Women: 80% | N=10 Age: 63±10 Women: 47% | 3× class-based exercise sessions per week for 12 weeks supervised by a research assistant: resistance circuit consisting of 8 stations ×60 sec each ×3 circuits; 2× week 20 min home walking and stretching programme. | Control intervention + action and coping plan based on individual functional goal and identified barriers to exercise—when, where, how to perform exercises + coping plan completed and signed by patient and researcher. |
| Pisters et al35 2010, The Netherlands | Aged 50–80 years. Hip or knee OA according to ACR clinical criteria. | N=103 Age: 65±8 Women: 79% | N=97 Age: 65±7 Women: 75% | 18× 30 min individual sessions over 12 weeks with a physiotherapist consisting of general recommendations and advice, non-individualised exercise programme and encouragement of positive attitude. | 18× 30 min individual sessions over 12 weeks with a physiotherapist delivering an individually tailored behavioural graded exercise programme directed at a time-effective increase in level of activities +5–7× booster sessions at weeks 18 (allowed up to 2× sessions), 25 (allowed up to 2× sessions), 34, 42 and 55. |
| Schoo et al38 2005, Australia | Aged ≥60 years. Pain in one or both knees/hips previous week when climbing stairs, walking, transferring + knee or hip OA confirmed by medical practitioner and verified by a physiotherapist. | N=30 Age: 71±7 Women: 63% | Audio group N=30 Age: 71±7 Women: 67% Video group N=30 Age: 69±6 Women: 70% | 3× individual sessions with a physiotherapist over 8 weeks (baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks) consisting of face-to-face verbal instruction on the performance of 9 home exercises and a brochure of the exercises. | Audio group: Control intervention + audio tape of verbal cues to prompt correct performance of exercises. Video group: Control intervention + video tape of verbal and visual cues to prompt correct performance of exercises. |
| Tuzun et al36 2012, Turkey | Aged ≥40 years. OA according to ACR clinical/radiographic criteria. | N=32 Age: 57±9 Women: 97% | N=32 Age: 52±10 Women: 100% | 4× individual sessions with the investigator physician over 12 weeks consisting of verbal explanation of 8× home exercises and brochure demonstrating the exercises. | 4× individual sessions with investigator physician over 12 weeks consisting of exercise demonstration by physician, coaching of participant performing the exercises and gradual increase in exercise intensity (isometric progressing to isotonic exercises). |
*Additional data (means, SDs) obtained directly from author.
ACR, American College of Rheumatology; LBP, low back pain; OA, osteoarthritis; RCT, randomised controlled trial; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.