EFFECTIVENESS OF TECAR THERAPY COMBINED WITH ECCENTRIC EXERCISES IN LATERAL ELBOW TENDINOPATHY

Objective: Tecar therapy (TT), an endogenous thermotherapy, uses high frequency currents and is supposed to boost tissues healing. Considering the lack of robust research on its effectiveness, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of TT combined to an eccentric intervention program (gold standard) in the treatment of lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET).
Methods: 17 patients (32-59 y) with chronic LET, were randomly divided into 3 groups: - A control group (CG, n=6) receiving 18 sessions (3 sessions/wk) of conventional treatment (CoTr): epicondyle massage, eccentric program (using an isokinetic device) and stretching of epicondyle muscles. - A Tecar group (TG, n=7) receiving the CoTr combined to a TT (in a capacitive and resistive mode). - A Tecar placebo group (PG, n=4) receiving the CoTr combined to a fake TT. The assessment sessions, performed at baseline, after 9 and the 18 sessions as well as at a 3- and 6-month follow-up included clinical LET’s tests (Cozen test, Middle Finger test), the French version of the PRTEE questionnaire and the pressure pain threshold (pressure algometer) at the painful site.
Results: All outcomes improved significantly (p<0,05) in all groups, yet the TG showed no greater improvement compared to the CG and PG.
Conclusion: Our study confirms the efficiency of eccentric program in LET and suggests that the combination of TT with CoTr does not provide additional benefit when compared to CoTr used alone.