Tendinopathy
Conditions
Keywords
elbow, tendinopathy, physiotherapy, exercise, electrotherapy
Brief summary
This RCT aims at investigating the effectiveness of the Tecaretherapy in patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy. 60 patients will be randomized into one of the following 3 groups: * Conventional physiotherapy treatment (CPT) (massage, eccentric exercises, stretching); * CPT + Tecare (idem CPT group + tecaretherapy during the eccentric exercises) * CPT + Placebo Tecare (idem CPT + Tecare group but with an inactive Tecare device) The treatment will include 18 30-minute sessions
Detailed description
This RCT aims at investigating the effectiveness of the Tecaretherapy in patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy. 60 patients will be randomized into one of the following 3 groups: * Conventional physiotherapy treatment (CPT) (massage, eccentric exercises by means of an isokinetic dynamometer, stretching); * CPT + Tecare (idem CPT group + Tecaretherapy during the eccentric exercises) * CPT + Placebo Tecare (idem CPT + Tecare group but with an inactive Tecare device) The treatment will include 18 30-minute sessions. The Tecaretherapy consists in using a specific device providing high frequencies (between 300 kHz and 1 MHz) supposed to accelerate the tissues healing process. Outcome sessions will be organized at baseline, after the first 9 sessions, at the end of the treatment as well as 3 and 6 months after the initial treatment session.
Interventions
OTHERActive Tecaretherapy
The Tecaretherapy: consists of using a specific device providing high frequencies (between 300 kHz and 1 MHz) supposed to accelerate the tissues healing process
OTHERInactive Tecaretherapy
Inactive Tecaretherapy: the device will not provide any current.
OTHERCPT
Conventional physiotherapy treatment (massage, eccentric exercises, stretching)
Sponsors
University of Liege
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
The patients receiving the Placebo Tecare will be blinded by using an identical device as in the active group but which cannot provide any current
Intervention model description
Randomized controlled Trial
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 55 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Patient suffering from a chronic lateral elbow tendinopathy confirmed by echography
Exclusion criteria
Patients: * with contra-indications for a Tecaretherapy (Pace maker, insuline pump, pregnancy, infection, fever, cancer, thrombophlebitis) * reporting injections and/or shockwaves in the past (for the tendinopathy) * with an associated neurogenic dysfunction
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| change in the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation score | up to 6 months | This questionnaire, developped for patients with elbow tendinopathy, consists of one part dealing with pain and a second part dealing with function. Each of the 5 items in part 1 is scored using a NRS, ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable). Part 2 is subdivided into Specific Activities (6 items) and Usual Activities (4 items). The 10 items of part 2 use a scale of 0 (no difficulty) to 10 (unable to perform an activity) to rate function. The total score is the combined score that rates pain and disability of equal importance. The pain score total (out of 50 points) and the functional subscale (60 points for specific activities, plus 40 points for usual activities to give a function subscale out of 100 points /2 to provide the remaining 50%) provide a total score, ranging from 0 (no pain and no functional impairment) to 100 (worst pain imaginable with a very significant functional deficit). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| change in pain Intensity | up to 6 months | 0-10 Numeric rating scale (0 = no pain, 10 = worst imaginable pain) |
| change in pain Pressure thresholds | up to 6 months | Measured by means of an algometer |
Countries
Belgium
Outcome results
None listed