Radial shock wave therapy for lateral epicondylitis: a prospective randomised controlled single-blind study

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic surgery
• Sports medicine
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is a frequent cause of pain in orthopaedic and sports medicine.
• Current conservative treatment outcomes for tennis elbow remain inconsistent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of radial shock wave therapy (RSWT) as a treatment for tennis elbow.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized, single-blind controlled study was conducted with 62 tennis elbow patients.
• Patients received either 2000 impulses of RSWT (study group, n=31) or 20 impulses (control group, n=31) weekly for 4 weeks.
• Evaluations included pain assessment (VAS), grip strength, and functional impairment (DASH) pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 6-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• The RSWT group showed statistically significant improvements in pain, grip strength, and function compared to the control group (P <0.001) at both post-treatment and 6-month follow-up.
• Patient satisfaction was markedly higher in the RSWT group (87% post-treatment, 84% at follow-up) versus the control group (10% post-treatment, 3% at follow-up).
• The number needed to treat (NNT) was low (1.15 post-treatment, 1.25 at 6 months), indicating high clinical relevance.

Conclusions:

• Radial shock wave therapy (RSWT) significantly reduces pain and functional impairment while enhancing pain-free grip strength in tennis elbow patients.
• RSWT is a safe and effective therapeutic option for managing tennis elbow.
• The study supports considering RSWT as a primary treatment for individuals with tennis elbow.