Efficacy Study of Prolotherapy vs Corticosteroid for Tennis Elbow

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2006-12-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of the research is to study the effects of two different injection therapies for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). Specifically, we will look at which therapy provides better short and long-term relief of pain, which treatment allows better function and less disability, and which treatment gives back better strength in the affected hand. Each subject will receive only one of the two treatments. Although both of these treatments are usually very well tolerated, it is important to make this comparison because it is believed that one of these therapies may have better long term effectiveness, with a lower cost, and smaller number of potential side effects.

• Phase: Phase 3
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• age criteria >18yo, <75yo, history of pain > 3 months, < 2 years; pain on resisted extension of wrist and/or middle finger test, (resisted extension of middle finger at the MCP joint)

• local tenderness to palpation at the lateral epicondyle

• subject can read and write in English.

Exclusion Criteria:

• history of steroid injections within 6 months prior to intervention;

• other arm/forearm pathology such as radial nerve compression; pregnancy/nursing;

• known thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy, or bleeding diathesis; history of diffuse pain syndrome;

• history of Inflammatory Arthropathy;

• Workman's Compensation (RSI) > 2 years; patients with litigation pending/planned; patients who are unable to return for F/U;

• intolerance/allergy to local anesthetics or injection corticosteroids; fear of needles; untreated depression;

• history of narcotic use for pain management greater than 1 month or history of narcotic abuse problem.