Table 2. The means (±SD) of PAIN VAS, maximum isometric muscle strength and circumference in two groups.

Measure	Moxi Group (n=23)	Control Group (n=25)	Mixed-Methods Analysis, P	Independent-sample t test Moxi vs Control
Pain VAS
Baseline	.00	0.00	.111
Immediate	1.82 (1.54)	1.64 (1.38)		.792
Per-24	3.35 (.93)	3.71 (1.26)		.092
Post-24	3.29 (1.20) *	4.11 (1.36)		.006
Per-48	2.91 (1.33)	3.24 (1.16)		.637
Post-48	2.89 (1.36)	3.21 (1.17)		.382
72	1.41 (.79) *	1.99 (1.01)		.030
Maximum Isometric Muscle Strength
Baseline	51.59 (12.31)	58.27 (14.52)	.062
Immediate	44.69 (13.73)	43.04 (15.55)		.019
Per-24	43.13 (13.64)	43.11 (16.21)		.170
Post-24	36.74 (10.98)	38.97 (15.58)		.345
Per-48	41.66 (13.85)	40.56 (16.31)		.102
Post-48	39.19 (13.43)	37.01 (15.33)		.062
72	46.84 (15.19)	43.11 (19.37)		.053
Circumference (cm)
Baseline	25.76 (2.07)	25.72 (2.11)	.805
Immediate	26.08 (2.00)	26.16 (2.14)		.323
Per-24	25.90 (1.99)	26.00 (2.11)		.422
Post-24	25.91 (1.989	25.97 (2.10)		.747
Per-48	25.94 (1.97)	25.94 (2.08)		.644
Post-48	25.92 (1.90)	25.84 (1.92)		.345
72	25.92 (1.93)	26.05 (2.06)		.223

* = p < 0.05 (comparison between group).Control = control group, Moxi = moxibustion group. Mixed-methods analysis was the global test indicating differences within and between groups. Post hoc testing was performed with unpaired t tests by comparing change since baseline between groups. immediate = immediately after DOMS induction, per- = per-treatment, post- = post-treatment, 24 = 24 hours after DOMS induction, 48 = 48 hours after DOMS induction, 72 = 72 hours after DOMS induction, Pain VAS =Pain Visual Analog Scale, MIMS= maximum isometric muscle strength. ANOVA =Analysis of Variance.