Lateral Epicondylitis
Conditions
Keywords
tennis elbow, pain threshold, elbow tendinopathy, BFR, hypoalgesia
Brief summary
A randomized cross-over trial comparing the immediate effects of a wrist extensor exercise with and without blood flow restriction (BFR) on pain perception in patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET).
Detailed description
Patients with LET will participate in the study performing an exercise with and without blood flow restriction (BFR) in a randomized order (two occasions). A target of 20 patients for enrollment has been set for 80% power, p\<0.05 (Effect size= 1). Two interventions will be used lasting 40 minutes each. Intervention: A wrist extension exercise (concentric-eccentric) with Blood Flow Restriction (30-15-15-15 reps). Exercises will be performed using dumbbells according to a pain monitoring approach (\<2/10 in numerical pain rating scale). Control Group: A wrist extension exercise (concentric-eccentric) without Blood Flow Restriction (30-15-15-15 reps). Exercises will be performed using dumbbells according to a pain monitoring approach (\<2/10 in numerical pain rating scale). Primary outcomes: pressure pain thresholds lateral epicondyle, cervical spine and tibialis anterior (bilateral). Secondary outcome: pain free grip strength
Interventions
Wrist extensor exercise (concentric - eccentric) with BFR. BFR involves the reduction of blood flow to working skeletal muscle by applying a flexible cuff to the most proximal portions of a person's arms or legs that results in decreased arterial flow to the exercising muscle and occluded venous return back to the central circulation.
OTHERExercise without Blood Flow Restriction (BFR)
Wrist extensor exercise (concentric - eccentric)
Sponsors
University of West Attica
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Men and women diagnosed with Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy (LET) * Symptoms for over 2 weeks * Pain provoked by palpation on the lateral epicondyle * Positive: Cohen's test, Maudsley test, Mill's test * decrease in pain grip strength \>5% in elbow extension compared to flexion
Exclusion criteria
* Shoulder tendinopathy * Cervical radiculopathy * Rheumatoid arthritis * Neurological deficit * Radial nerve entrapment * Past treatment for the elbow before entering the study * Professional athletes * Lateral elbow tendinopathy of the same side in the last 3 years * Serious cardiovascular diseases * Venous deficiency * History of heart surgery * Cancer history * Breast surgery * Orthopaedic surgeries during the last 6 months * Thrombosis * Body mass Index ≥ 30 * Crohn syndrome * Family or personal history of pulmonary embolism
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure pain threshold | Baseline and 30 minutes | Changes between pre- and post- intervention in Pressure Pain Threshold will be measured using bilateral sites on lateral epicondyle, cervical spine and tibialis anterior. The COMPACT DIGITAL ALGOMETER CAPACITIES TO: 100 lbf / 50 kgf / 500 N, will be used by an independent assessor. The assessor will be blinded to participants' group. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain free grip strength (PFGS) | Baseline and 30 minutes | 'Jamar' hand dynamometer was used, calculating the mean value (kilograms) of 3 efforts, separated by 30-second rest intervals with participants lying in supine position and the elbow fully extended |
Countries
Greece
Outcome results
None listed