OBJECTIVE: The study was done under the aspect whether or not dosed three-week series of ultrasound produce regional changes in pain and temperature different from those of phonophoresis. SUBJECTS: 50 patients suffering from Epicondylopathia humeri were examined (radialis n = 45, ulnaris n = 5). DESIGN: All patients received the same dose of 0.6 W/cm2 continuous sound over six minutes in an elbow region of three weeks (five times a week) and, in a randomized way, only ultrasound (n = 25) or phonophoresis using 0.5% prednisolon ointment (n = 25). The strategy of dosing was based on weekly changes in dosage according to changes in pain. Prior to the series an following every week of treatment, questioning concerning pain and measurement of skin temperature close to the Epicondylus humeri radialis or ulnaris were performed. For statistical evaluation, the sign test, Wilcoxon's test and the Chi2 test were used. RESULTS: In all of the 50 patients, a statistically significant reduction of pain was observed from week to week, a reduction of skin temperature after the first week of therapy. There was no difference in the effective quantity of ultrasound alone and ultrasound plus prednisolon ointment. CONCLUSIONS: Further investigations into phonophoresis probably will require dosage parameters different from those practised now.

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