Effectiveness of eccentric strengthening in the treatment of lateral elbow tendinopathy: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Key Points

1. Eccentric strengthening of the wrist extensors was found to be more effective than other strengthening protocols in the treatment of lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET).

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BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET) is a common condition in the upper limb, affecting up to 3% of the population annually. Eccentric strengthening has shown promise as a method to treat LET. Accordingly, the authors of this paper performed a meta-analysis to help determine whether eccentric strengthening is superior to other forms of strengthening and pain-relieving modalities for managing LET.

Lateral elbow tendinopathy affects up to 3% of the population annually.

Too much rest can make tendon degeneration worse, therefore healing requires proper loading.

METHODS

Five electronic databases were searched. The authors found 8 studies involving 564 participants that met the inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model with standardized mean differences, test of heterogeneity, and sensitivity analysis.

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