Efficacy of Therapeutic Ultrasound and Therapeutic Laser Along with Myofascial Release in Reducing Pain and Improving Hand Grip for People with Lateral Epicondylitis

Abstract

Background: Lateral epicondylitis is a common overuse injury that affects the tendons on the outer side of theelbow. It results from repetitive gripping or wrist extension activities, leading to microtrauma and subsequentinflammation. The condition primarily manifests as pain and reduced grip strength, often affecting dailyactivities and occupational performance. However, limited research directly compares the effectiveness of theseinterventions for lateral epicondylitis.Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound and therapeutic laser,in conjunction with myofascial trigger release, in reducing pain and improving handgrip strength in individualswith lateral epicondylitis.Methods: Patients willing to participate in the study were screened for inclusion and exclusion criteria taken fromGet well soon physio rehabilitation centre. The total number of subjects (40) are divided into 20 subjects for theexperimental group (Group A), they are given therapeutic ultrasound along with myofascial release . The controlgroup (Group B) consisting of 20 subjects, are low level therapeutic laser along with myofascial release, NPRS andHandheld dynamometer are used as outcomes measure. The entire process was conducted from November 2022to March 2023.Results: The results revealed significant pain reduction and greater improvements in handgrip strength for thetherapeutic laser group compared to the therapeutic ultrasound group. This study showed that the p value isstatistically significant <0.0001.Conclusion: This study concluded that therapeutic laser, when combined with myofascial trigger release,demonstrated superior effectiveness compared to therapeutic ultrasound in the management of lateral epicondylitis.