Table 1 Comparison of the characteristics of the massage and control groups at baseline (pre-treatment)
Characteristic | Massage group | Control Group | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
Number in group | 50 | 51 | Â |
Gender (male:female) | 22:28 | 20:31 | 0.626 NS |
Age in years Mean (SD) | 51.5 (13.4) | 55.2 (12.9) | 0.171 NS |
Duration of pain in years. Mean (SD) | 9.86 (7.47) | 11.0 (10.2) | 0.540 NS |
Therapist (A:B) | 27:23 | 27:24 | 0.915 NS |
Pain VAS. Range 0–100. Mean (SD) | 57.7 (18.0) | 62.3 (16.6) | 0.200 NS |
McGill Pain Q'aire Pain Rating Index Range 0–78 Mean (SD) | 27.3 (11.5) | 25.1 (14.4) | 0.390 NS |
Spielberger SF STAI Range 6–24 Mean (SD) | 13.3 (4.16) | 12.0 (4.15) | 0.139 NS |