OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of sodium diclofenac and sodium salicylate applied by topical iontophoresis and to compare them in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. SUBJECTS: Forty patients with lateral epicondylitis were randomized into two groups of 20 patients who were matched for age and sex. INTERVENTIONS: The patients in one group were treated by iontophoresis of sodium diclofenac and the other group were treated by iontophoresis of sodium salicylate. Then infrared treatment was applied to patients in both groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain scores obtained before and after treatment were compared. RESULTS: Pain produced by pressure on the lateral epicondyle, on resisting wrist extension, during function and spontaneous pain at rest significantly decreased in both groups after treatment (p < 0.001). When pain scores obtained after treatment were compared, greater decrease was observed in the pain produced on resisting wrist extension (p < 0.01) and by pressure on the lateral epicondyle (p < 0.05) in the group treated with sodium diclofenac than in the group treated with sodium salicylate. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest some benefits from the process of iontophoresis and the use of infrared in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis and indicate that iontophoresis of sodium diclofenac is more effective than that of sodium salicylate.

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