Table 1 Methodological quality of included studies
PEDro criteria | Rawson et al. [28] | Dolezal et al. [27] | Zhu et al. [29] |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Eligibility criteria were specified | √ | √ | √ |
2. Subjects were randomly allocated to groups (in a crossover study, subjects were randomly allocated an order in which treatments were received) | √ | √ | |
3. Allocation was concealed | x | x | x |
4. The groups were similar at baseline regarding the most important prognostic indicators | √ | √ | √ |
5. There was blinding of all subjects | x | x | x |
6. There was blinding of all therapists who administered the therapy | x | x | x |
7. There was blinding of all the assessors who measured at least one key outcome | x | x | √ |
8. Measures of at least one key outcome were obtained for more than 85% of the subjects initially added to the groups | √ | x | √ |
9. All subjects for whom outcome measure were available received the treatment or control condition as allocated or, where this was not the case, data for at least one key outcome was analysed by “intention to treat” | √ | √ | √ |
10. The results of between-groups statistical comparisons are reported for at least one key outcome | √ | √ | √ |
11. The study provides both point measures and measures of variability for at least one key outcome | √ | √ | √ |
Total | 7/11 | 6/11 | 7/11 |