Table 1 Participant characteristics at baseline

Age — median (IQR)

28 (27 to 30)

28 (28 to 32)

Gender — N (%)

 Female

7 (64%)

10 (77%)

 Male

4 (36%)

3 (23%)

 Other or prefer not to say

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

Manual therapy experience — N (%)

 Providing only

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

 Receiving only

2 (18%)

2 (15%)

 Providing and receiving

1 (9%)

2 (15%)

 No experience

8 (73%)

9 (69%)

Upper back ache, pain, or discomfort^a — N (%)

 None

9 (82%)

10 (77%)

 Yes – slightly uncomfortable

2 (18%)

3 (23%)

 Yes – moderately or very uncomfortable

0

0

Lower back ache, pain, or discomfort^a — N (%)

 None

10 (91%)

12 (92%)

 Yes – slightly uncomfortable

1 (9%)

1 (8%)

 Yes – moderately or very uncomfortable

0

0

Self-reported back flexibility^b — N (%)

 Good or very good

1 (9%)

4 (31%)

 Average

9 (82%)

8 (62%)

 Poor or very poor

1 (9%)

1 (8%)

ROM measurements (degrees) — median (IQR)

 ROM, flexion

127.0 (114.5 to 138.0)

132.0 (129.8 to 141.5)

 ROM, extension

43.0 (27.5 to 53.0)

44.0 (33.8 to 52.0)