Clinical and functional outcomes of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in isolated medial epicondylitis

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 4, 658 - 662, 04.07.2019

Yalçın Turhan , Mehmet Arıcan , Zekeriya Okan Karaduman

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.448849

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock
wave therapy (ESWT) for the patients with isolated medial epicondylitis
refractory to other conservative methods.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 57 patients with the
diagnosis of isolated medial epicondylitis refractory to conservative measures
was done. 36 of them who met our eligibility criteria were included. Patients
were subjected to three sessions of extracorporeal shock wave therapy with 2000
pulses per a session in a dose of 0.06-0.12 mJ/mm². Pain and
clinical/functional scores were measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) and
Quick-Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Q-DASH) respectively before the
treatment and at 1^st week and 12^th week of the last
session.

Results: Mean age of the patients was 47.3 (25-67) years and
there was a higher female presentation (24 female and 12 male patients). The
VAS scores were improved from a mean of 7.8 before the treatment to 5.3 at 1^st
week (p < 0.001) and to 2.9 at 12^th
week (p < 0.001). Also the results
of the Q-DASH showed a mean improvement from 50.4 before the treatment to 27.1
at 1^st week (p < 0.001)
and 9.6 at 12^th week (p <
0.001). There were no significant differences in the improvements of VAS and
Q-DASH scores by the time between the male and female patients.

Conclusion: According to the results of this study which will be
one of the limited studies about isolated medial epicondylitis; ESWT is a good
conservative treatment option for medial epicondylitis in refractory cases like
in lateral epicondylitis. 

Keywords

Medial epicondylitis, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, visual analogue scale, quick-disabilities of the arm shoulder and hand

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