Lateral Epicondylitis: A Novel Non-Invasive Treatment Approach

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the TheraPoint Focal Pressure Support (TP-FPS) as a non-invasive treatment for pain associated with lateral Epicondylitis (LE). Design: Prospective cohort study. Participants: n = 25 study subjects (20 males and 5 females) ranging in age from 18-65 with pain in one upper limb either dominant (23) or non-dominant (2) associated with lateral epicondylitis for a minimum of six months. Interventions: Study participants were tasked to wear the TP-FPS for 3 hours per day for two weeks except when bathing or during main sleep hours. Outcome measures: Visual analog scale (VAS) pain score pre- and post-treatment period. Results: The combined (male and female) cohort average pre-treatment VAS pain score was 7.44 +/- 0.57. Post-treatment VAS pain score was 1.07 +/- 0.42, with a total reduction of 6.37 points and reached significance with p=0.0005. Male cohort demonstrated an average pre-treatment VAS pain score of 7.45 +/- 0.56. Post-treatment VAS pain score was 1.40 +/- 0.45, with a total reduction of 6.05 points and reached significance with p=0.006. Female cohort displayed an average pre-treatment VAS pain score of 7.40 +/- 1.92. Post-treatment VAS pain score was 1.70 +/- 1.14, with a total reduction of 5.70 and reached significance with p=0.001. No statistically significant difference was observed in the VAS pain score reduction between the male and female groups. Conclusion: The TP-FPS may indeed be a non-invasive therapeutic option for reducing pain associated with lateral epicondylitis.