Table 1 Study details, participant characteristics and main findings

Alasfour & Almarwani 2020 [25]

Saudi Arabia

Age: 54.4 ± 4.3 years

BMI: NR

Sex: 40/0

100% knee OA

Greater improvements in pain in the intervention group compared to the control group.

Allen et al. 2018 [26]

USA

Age: 65.3 ± 11.1 years

BMI: 31.4 ± 8.0

Sex: 251/99

100% knee OA

No significant differences in WOMAC scores between groups.

Allen et al. 2021 [27]

USA

Age: 60.0 ± 10.3 years

BMI: 33.9 ± 7.4

Sex: 53/292

100% knee OA

Greater improvement in the total WOMAC score in the intervention group compared to control group.

Bennell et al. 2017 [28]

Australia

Age: 60.8 ± 6.5^a years

BMI: 32.0 ± 13.9^a

Sex: 83/65

100% chronic knee pain suggestive of OA

Significant improvement in pain and physical function in the intervention group compared to the control group.

Bennell et al. 2018 [31]

Australia

Age: 61.2 ± 7.2^a years

BMI: 29.2 ± 13.1^a

Sex: 82/62

100% hip OA

No significant differences between groups in pain or physical function.

Bossen et al. 2013 [15]

The Netherlands

Age: 62.0 ± 5.7 years

BMI: 27.6 ± 4.5

Sex: 129/70

64% knee OA, 21% hip OA and 15% had both

Significant improvements in physical function in the intervention group compared to the control group.

Gohir et al. 2021 [29]

UK

Age: 66.7 ± 9.2 years

BMI: 31.9 ± 5.9^a

Sex: 71/34

100% knee OA

Significant improvements in pain and physical function in the intervention group compared to the control group.

Kloek et al. 2018 [34]

Netherlands

Age: 63.8 ± 4.2^a years

BMI: 27.8 ± 4.2^a

Sex: 141/67

67% knee OA, 18% hip OA and 15% had both

Both groups significantly improved pain, quality of life and self-efficacy.

No significant differences between the groups.

Nelligan et al. 2021 [30]

Australia

Age: 60.0 ± 8.0 years

BMI: 31.1 (26.6–34.9)^a,b

Sex: 109/97

100% knee OA

Significant improvements in pain and physical function in the intervention group compared to the control group.

Pelle et al. 2020 [32]

Netherlands

Age: 62.1 ± 7.3 years

BMI: 27.8 ± 5.1^a

Sex: 306/119

73% knee OA and 27% hip OA

No significant difference in health care utilisation between the two groups. Significant improvements in pain, symptoms and activities of daily living in the intervention group.

Rini et al. 2015 [33]

USA

Age: 67.6 ± 9.5 years

BMI: NR

Sex: 91/22

35% knee OA, 12% hip OA and 52% had both

Significant improvements in pain among women who received intervention compared to the control group.

Both men and women increased self-efficacy post-intervention compared to the control group.