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Effects of heavy slow resistance training combined with corticosteroid injections or tendon needling in patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy: a 3-arm randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled study
Couppe C, Dossing S, Bulow PM, Siersma VD, Zilmer CK, Bang CW, Hoffner R, Kracht M, Hogg P, Edstrom G, Kjaer M, Magnusson SP
The American Journal of Sports Medicine 2022 Aug;50(10):2787-2796
clinical trial
9/10 [Eligibility criteria: Yes; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: Yes; Baseline comparability: Yes; Blind subjects: Yes; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: Yes; Adequate follow-up: Yes; Intention-to-treat analysis: Yes; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

BACKGROUND: Lateral elbow tendinopathy is a disabling tendon overuse injury. It remains unknown if a corticosteroid injection (CSI) or tendon needling (TN) combined with heavy slow resistance (HSR) training is superior to HSR alone in treating lateral elbow tendinopathy. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose was to investigate the effects of HSR combined with either (1) a CSI, (2) TN, or (3) placebo needling (PN) as treatment for lateral elbow tendinopathy. We hypothesized that 12 weeks of HSR in combination with a CSI or TN would have superior effects compared with PN at 12, 26, and 52 (primary endpoint) weeks' follow-up on primary (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score) and secondary outcomes in patients with chronic unilateral lateral elbow tendinopathy. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with chronic unilateral lateral elbow tendinopathy were randomized to perform 12 weeks of home-based HSR with elastic band exercises combined with either (1) a CSI, (2) TN, or (3) PN, and at 12, 26, and 52 weeks, we assessed the primary outcome, the DASH score, and secondary outcomes: shortened version of the DASH (QuickDASH) score, pain (numerical rating scale (NRS) score), pain-free grip strength, and hypervascularization (power Doppler area). RESULTS: A CSI, TN, and PN improved patient outcomes equally based on the DASH (DELTA20 points), QuickDASH (DELTA21 points), and NRS (DELTA2.5 points) scores after 12 weeks. Further, after 12 weeks, a CSI also resulted in decreased hypervascularization (power Doppler area) compared with PN (DELTA-2251 pixels, p = 0.0418). Except for the QuickDASH score (CSI increased score by DELTA15 points compared with PN; p = 0.0427), there were no differences between the groups after 52 weeks. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that 12 weeks of HSR improved symptoms in both the short and the long term and that a CSI or TN did not amplify this effect. In addition, a CSI seemed to impair patient-reported outcomes compared with HSR alone at long-term follow-up. REGISTRATION: NCT02521298 ClinicalTrials.gov.

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