Table 2 Comparison of clinical outcomes between two groups

Pain VAS scores (0–10)

 Baseline

6.48 ± 1.08

6.52 ± 0.87

0.876

 1 week

4.95 ± 1.28*

5.76 ± 0.89*

0.022

 2 weeks

3.71 ± 0.96*

4.62 ± 0.92*

0.003

 4 weeks

2.95 ± 0.80*

3.57 ± 0.87*

0.021

 3 months

1.86 ± 0.65*

2.57 ± 0.81*

0.008

WOMAC scores

Total scores (0–96)

 Baseline

54.09 ± 10.24

54.60 ± 10.88

0.878

 1 week

41.00 ± 8.84*

49.89 ± 10.45

0.005

 2 weeks

35.07 ± 7.43*

44.24 ± 10.10*

0.002

 4 weeks

31.45 ± 6.67*

39.80 ± 8.63*

0.001

 3 months

26.92 ± 6.81*

36.01 ± 7.93*

< 0.001

Pain scores (0–20)

 Baseline

12.08 ± 4.09

12.15 ± 2.62

0.943

 1 week

8.89 ± 3.25*

10.87 ± 2.41

0.031

 2 weeks

7.57 ± 2.53*

9.82 ± 2.06*

0.003

 4 weeks

6.82 ± 2.19*

8.48 ± 1.80*

0.011

 3 months

5.78 ± 1.55*

7.70 ± 1.63*

< 0.001

Stiffness scores (0–8)

 Baseline

4.95 ± 0.97

4.90 ± 0.70

0.857

 1 week

4.10 ± 0.89*

4.62 ± 0.67

0.037

 2 weeks

3.29 ± 0.90*

3.95 ± 0.86*

0.019

 4 weeks

2.67 ± 0.86*

3.62 ± 0.67*

0.001

 3 months

2.00 ± 0.84*

2.95 ± 0.92*

< 0.001

Physical function scores (0–68)

 Baseline

37.07 ± 9.54

37.54 ± 11.31

0.883

 1 week

28.02 ± 8.11*

34.40 ± 11.00

0.039

 2 weeks

24.21 ± 7.15*

30.48 ± 9.47*

0.020

 4 weeks

21.96 ± 6.44*

27.70 ± 9.04*

0.023

 3 months

19.14 ± 6.84*

25.35 ± 8.39*

0.012