Physical therapy for chronic lateral elbow tendopathy (tennis elbow)

Abstract

Purpose: to evaluate the effectiveness of inclusion of exercises for spatula stabilizers in physical therapy (PhT) of patients with chronic dumentary tendopathy of the elbow joint (DTEJ). Material and methods: a three-month study involving 32 patients who were divided into two groups – the main (MG) – 17 people and the control (CG) – 15. MG of patients performed an PhT program consisting of: patient training, exercises for the shoulder blade and forearm (elbow/wrist), deep soft tissue massage in conjunction with Mill’s manipulation, phonophoresis with hydrocortitisone. CG of patients had the same program, but without exercise for spatula stabilizers. Evaluation of results according to the criteria – determination of the intensity of pain syndrome (visual analog scale -VAS); measurement of muscle strength of the forearm and brush (dynamometry); test questionnaire of the functional state of the upper limb – Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Outcome Measure (DASH). Results: the authors identified the features of PhT use for rehabilitation of patients with DTEJ with exercises for shoulder blade stabilizers in combination with deep soft tissue massage and Mill manipulation. Conclusions: This used rehabilitation complex had an advantage over the PhT only with special exercises for the forearm, as evidenced by reliable positive changes in VAS and the DASH scale (p<0,005 and p<0,001 respectively) in the short-trained performance assessment period.

Keywords

• lateral elbow tendopathy