Table 1

Participants’ characteristics

Participant number	Age in years	Gender	Diabetic	Group	Dominance of affected side at time of study	Length of time from onset to first consultation	Length of time from first consultation to referral to musculoskeletal (MSK) specialist	Where physiotherapy treatment was given
1	60–69	Female	No	1	D	Within 3 months	3 months	Own practice—physiotherapist with MSK interest
2	50–59	Female	No	1 & 2	ND & D	Immediate Within 2 months	Immediate 22 months	MSK community clinic GP at own practice (not referred to MSK specialist)
3	50–59	Female	No	1	D	Within 2 months	0 months	Own practice—physiotherapist with MSK interest
4	50–59	Female	No	2	ND	Unknown	Unknown	Own practice physiotherapist (not referred to MSK specialist)
5	50–59	Male	No	2	D	Within 1 month	5 months	Hospital MSK clinic
6	40–49	Male	Yes	2	D	Within 2 months	3 months	Occupational health physiotherapist and own practice—physiotherapist with MSK interest
7	50–59	Female	No	1	ND	Approx 5 months	0 months	MSK community clinic
8	Over 70	Male	No	1	D	Within 3 months	0 months	Own practice—physiotherapist with MSK interest
10	50–59	Female	No	2	ND	Within 2 months	6 months	Generalist physiotherapist and MSK hospital clinic
11	50–59	Male	Yes	3	ND	Within 2 months	8 months	MSK hospital clinic
12	50–59	Male	Yes	3	ND	Within 1 month	16 months	Occupational health physiotherapist and MSK hospital clinic

Participant 9 did not return calls/emails. Data in table derived from interviews with patients, medical records not accessed.
D, dominant; ND, non-dominant.