Table 1

Mean scores (SD) on each International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health component for each delay group

Delay category	No of weeks' delay for each group	Impairment^*	Activity limitations^*	Participation restrictions^†
Delay category	No of weeks' delay for each group	WOMAC pain	WOMAC physical	SF-36 social	WHOQoL social
GP consultant	≤52	16.7 (3.2)	55.6 (11.4)	6.7 (2.2)	11.2 (2.3)
GP consultant	>52	16.9 (3.4)	55.3 (12.0)	6.8 (2.5)	11.3 (2.1)
Referral list	≤18	16.7 (3.3)	57.1 (11.2)	6.4 (2.3)^a	11.1 (2.0)
	>18	16.8 (3.3)	54.4 (11.8)	7.1 (2.3)^a	11.3 (2.2)
	≤26	16.8 (3.2)	57.1 (11.1)^b	6.5 (2.3)^c	11.2 (1.9)
	>26	16.7 (3.4)	53.8 (11.9)^b	7.1 (2.3)^c	11.2 (2.2)
Waiting list	≤26	16.7 (3.3)	54.4 (12.1)	6.9 (2.3)	11.3 (2.3)
Waiting list	>26	16.8 (3.3)	56.7 (10.9)	6.8 (2.4)	11.1 (2.1)
Wanted surgery	≤52	16.5 (3.3)	54.9 (11.6)	6.9 (2.2)	11.5 (2.1)^d
Wanted surgery	>52	17.3 (3.4)	56.3 (11.6)	6.5 (2.5)	10.9 (2.3)^d

↵* Higher impairment and higher activity limitation scores indicate worse impairment and greater activity limitations.
↵† Higher participation restriction scores indicate reduced participation restrictions. Scores labelled with the same superscript letter were significantly different (p≤0.05).