Tennis elbow is a condition that results in pain around the outside of the elbow. It often occurs after strenuous overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm, near the elbow joint. One method of treatment for lateral epicondylitis and other tendinopathies that has gained recent attention is eccentric strengthening. Because lateral epicondylitis and other tendinopathies are degenerative conditions of the tendon with few inflammatory cells, the theoretical effectiveness of anti inflammatory treatments is doubtful. In this regard, the purpose of this study to see the effect of Eccentric Muscle Strengthening on pain of Lateral epicondylitis of elbow.

METHOD:

60 patients of confirmed diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis were collected from different physiotherapy clinics and hospitals. Patients were informed about the research protocols.

Consent forms were taken from the patients. 60 patients were divided in group A and group B. Group A was experimental group and group B was control group. VAS scale of all the participants of group A was noted and Group A patients were treated with eccentric muscle strengthening of wrist extensors and other conventional physiotherapy method. Conventional therapy include wrist extensor stretching, ultrasound, cross-friction massage, heat and ice.

The eccentric exercise involved twisting a rubber bar (Thera-Band ® FlexBar, The Hygenic Corporation, Akron OH) with concentric wrist flexion of the non involved arm and slowly releasing the twist with eccentric wrist extension of the involved arm. Three sets of 15 repetitions were performed daily as part of a home program with intensity increased progressively during the treatment period.  VAS scale of all the participants of group B was noted and Group B patients were treated with only conventional physiotherapy method. Then comparison of VAS scale was done between Group A and Group B.

RESULT: 

Pain relief done with eccentric muscle strengthening exercise with conventional exercise were significant higher than only conventional exercise.

CONCLUSION: 

This study suggests that eccentric muscle strengthening exercise with conservative treatment gives more pain relief than only conservative treatment in the lateral epicondylitis of elbow patients.

 

KEY WORDS:  Lateral epicondylgia (LE),Tennis elbow(TE),Visual analogue Scale(VAS).