Fig. 5

Relationship between change in function with change in flexion. X-axis represents the change in function (mean change function ± standard error (SE)), and Y-axis represents the change in flexion (mean flexion change ± SE). Points represent the observations (estimates from the underlying studies), with horizontal and vertical bars representing the approximate standard error for the predictor and response variable, respectively. The solid line represents the posterior mean of the relationship between the predictor and the response for a hypothetical average study, and the grey field is 90% credible interval (uncertainty), from the meta-regression errors-in-variables model. The vertical dotted lines represent the minimal clinically important change (MCIC) from reference study _and its SE: A − 9.1 + 0.77 [45], B − 17.13 + _1.5 [29], C − 17.02 + _1.59 [29] demonstrating the inference of the corresponding MCIC for flexion