NCT07282431

Shockwave Therapy Plus Exercise for Lateral Epicondylitis

Clinical Effectiveness of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Combined With Exercise in Patients With Lateral Epicondylitis

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (actual)
• Sponsor: Istanbul Medipol University Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The primary objective of this study is to compare the clinical effectiveness of exercise therapy alone versus exercise combined with Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) in individuals with lateral epicondylitis, focusing on changes in pain, grip strength, functional status, and overall treatment success.

Detailed description

This randomized, controlled, prospective clinical trial aims to compare the effectiveness of exercise therapy alone versus exercise therapy combined with Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) in individuals diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis. The study is conducted at a single center and includes adult participants who meet predefined eligibility criteria. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups: an exercise-only group and an exercise-plus-ESWT group. Both groups follow a 4-week treatment program consisting of 12 sessions delivered three times per week. The exercise program includes isometric, isotonic, and stretching exercises targeting wrist extensors and related musculature. These exercises are demonstrated and supervised by physiotherapists, with participants encouraged to continue them as a home program. In the intervention group, ESWT is administered once weekly for a total of four sessions. A radial-type ESWT device is used with preset parameters (2.0 bar pressure, 10 Hz frequency, 2000 pulses per session). All ESWT applications are performed by trained physiotherapists. Clinical assessments occur at baseline and at the end of the 4-week intervention. Pain intensity, upper-extremity functional capacity, and condition-specific functional limitations are measured using validated outcome tools. Global improvement is also recorded at post-treatment to evaluate the participant's perceived benefit. This study is designed to provide comparative data on the added value of ESWT when combined with a structured exercise program for the management of lateral epicondylitis, with the goal of informing clinical decision-making and optimizing treatment strategies.

Conditions

• Lateral Epicondylitis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)	Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)
OTHER	exercise therapy	exercise therapy

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-06-15
• Primary completion: 2026-01-15
• Completion: 2026-02-15
• First posted: 2025-12-15
• Last updated: 2025-12-15

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)