Effect of Deep Friction Massage with Taping Technique on Strength, Pain, Function and Wrist Extensor Muscle Activity in Patient with Tennis Elbow

Abstract

Background Lateral epicondylitis, generally referred to as tennis elbow, is a common condition of the forearm. Treatment typically includes specialized manual therapy, including deep friction massage (DFM), taping, and Mill’s manipulation. Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in pain, function, strength, and muscle activity following taping with DFM. Study design Randomized controlled trial Methods We recruited 30 patients with tennis elbow and equally divided into two groups using randomization (Taping group versus taping and DFM group). Pre- and post-intervention measures included a visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, the Patient-rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) questionnaire, pain-free grip strength (PFGS), wrist extensor strength (WES), and wrist extensor electromyography (EMG). DFM and diamond taping were applied as the study intervention. The differences between pre- and post-intervention outcome measures were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results A significant time-by-group interaction was observed for the VAS, PRTEE scores, PFGS, WES, and EMG. A post hoc paired <italic>t</italic>-test showed that pain, function, and strength improved significantly post-intervention in the group treated with taping and DFM. The VAS and PRTEE scores significantly decreased, and PFGS, WES, and EMG significantly increased in both groups post-intervention. Conclusions Our findings demonstrated that taping with DFM can be an effective strategy for decreasing pain, improving function, and increasing strength and muscle activation in patients with lateral epicondylitis.