Blood Flow Restriction & Tennis Elbow Rehab

Julie Nuelle250 enrolled

Overview

Lateral epicondylitis (LE), often referred to as "tennis elbow" is a common and debilitating overuse injury affecting 1-3% of adults annually. LE is most often defined as a syndrome of pain near the area of the lateral epicondyle of the elbow commonly effecting the origin of the extensor carpi radialis brevis with associated weakness; it most commonly effects the dominant arm. The best treatment for LE is unknown and research to support current treatment methods are insufficient. A common limitation in functional recovery experienced by this population is pain at the lateral aspect of the elbow. As such, innovative therapeutic interventions directed at quickly reducing pain may address this unmet need and allow for improved outcomes, as well as earlier return to function.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

250

Conditions

Lateral Epicondylitis

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Ages 18-65 years of age 2. Diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis confirmed by the treating orthopaedic surgeon and ultrasound 3. Must be able to read and write in English 4. Able to provide own written consent Exclusion Criteria: 1. Patients over 65 years of age 2. Contralateral upper extremity involvement resulting in less than normal range of motion, muscle strength or daily pain greater than 1/10 3. History of prior injection for treatment of lateral epicondylitis 4. Pregnancy 5. Recent history of deep venous thrombosis (within the past 12 months) 6. Active treatment with anticoagulants 7. History of upper quadrant lymph node dissection 8. History of endothelial dysfunction 9. Patient history of easy bruising 10. Active infection in the injured arm 11. Cancer 12. Uncontrolled peripheral vascular disease 13. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Define the effect of BFR training on pain with activity in patients with LE.

Measured on a 0-10 scale by VAS (Visual Analog Scale) patient reported outcome form. The VAS is scored 0-10, and a higher score indicates worse pain/worse outcomes.

Time frame: 3 weeks to 6 months