Investigation of Association Between Grip-Strength and Subjective Outcome Measures in Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy

Öz

Aim: This study aimed to investigate grip strength values in patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy and reveal their relationship with subjective outcome measures (pain intensity and elbow functionality). Material and Methods: A hundred and twenty patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy (60 females, 60 males, mean age: 47.8±4.3 years old; BMI: 27.3±5.5 kg/m2) were included in this study. Grip strength was measured using a JAMAR dynamometer (Lafayette Instrument Company, USA) with the elbow in a 90° flexion position. In the subjective evaluation, pain intensity (at rest, repeated elbow flexion, heavy object lifting, and night) was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and functionality was assessed using Patient Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) and the subscales of the PRTEE. Statistical analysis was used for comparing the grip strength between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides using “a paired sample t-test”. Grip strength and subjective outcome measures were analyzed using “Pearson Correlation Test”. Results: There was a significant difference between grip strength on the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides (p<0.001). There was a negative and moderate correlation between the grip strength and sub-parameters of NRS (p<0.001), pain sub-score of PRTEE (r=-0.486 and p<0.001), function sub-score of PRTEE (r =-0.580 and p<0.001) and the total score (r=-0.556 and p<0.001). Conclusion: A decreased grip strength was observed in the affected sides compared to the non-affected sides of the patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy. Moreover, it was also found that while grip strength increased, pain intensity decreased, and functionality improved. We consider that subjective outcome measures such as pain intensity and functionality are important in providing clinical insight into the interpretation of grip strength changes in lateral elbow tendinopathy.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• tennis elbow
• grip strength
• outcome measure
• subjective
• objective

Lateral Dirsek Tendinopatisinde Kavrama Kuvveti ve Subjektif Sonuç Ölçütleri Arasındaki İlişkinin Araştırılması

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı lateral dirsek tendinopatili hastalarda kavrama kuvveti değerlerinin araştırılması ve subjektif sonuç ölçütleri olan ağrı şiddeti ve dirseğin fonksiyonelliği ile ilişkisinin ortaya konulmasıdır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu araştırmaya lateral dirsek tendinopatisi tanısı alan 120 hasta (60 kadın, 60 erkek, ortalama yaş: 47,8±4,3 yıl; ortalama VKİ: 27,3±5,5 kg/m2) dahil edildi. Hastaların kavrama kuvveti ölçümleri dirsek 90° fleksiyon pozisyonunda JAMAR el dinamometresi (Lafayette Instrument Company, USA) kullanılarak yapıldı. Subjektif değerlendirmede, ağrı şiddeti (istirahat, tekrarlı dirsek fleksiyonu, ağır cisim kaldırma ve gece) Numerik Derecelendirme Skalası (NRS) ile, dirsek fonksiyonelliği Hasta Bazlı Önkol Değerlendirme Anketi (PRTEE) ve PRTEE’nin alt skorları kullanılarak yapıldı. İstatistiksel analizde, etkilenen ve sağlam taraf arasındaki kavrama kuvveti değerleri arasındaki fark “bağımlı gruplarda t-testi”, kavrama kuvveti ile subjektif sonuç ölçütleri arasındaki ilişki Pearson Korelasyon Katsayısı kullanılarak analiz edildi. Bulgular: Hastaların etkilenen ve sağlam taraf kavrama kuvvetleri arasında anlamlı fark vardı (p<0,001). Etkilenen ekstremite kavrama kuvveti ile NRS’nin alt parametreleri (p<0,001), PRTEE Ağrı alt skoru (r=-0,486 ve p<0,001), PRTEE Fonksiyon alt skoru (r=-0,580 ve p<0,001) ve toplam skor (r=-0,556 ve p<0,001) arasında negatif yönlü ve orta güçte bir ilişki vardı. Sonuç: Lateral dirsek tendinopatili hastalarda etkilenen taraf kavrama kuvvetinin sağlam tarafa göre azaldığı bulundu. Üstelik, kavrama kuvveti arttıkça ağrı şiddetinin azaldığı ve fonksiyonelliğin arttığı bulundu. Lateral dirsek tendinopatisinde ağrı şiddeti ve fonksiyonellik gibi subjektif ölçütlerin kavrama kuvveti değişimlerinin yorumlanmasında klinik görüş sağlanması açısından önemli olduğunu düşünmekteyiz.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• tenisçi dirseği
• kavrama kuvveti
• sonuç ölçütü
• objektif
• subjektif

Kaynakça

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