NCT02521298

Brief Summary

This study investigates the treatment effect on lateral elbow tendinopathy of strength training in combination with cortico-steroid injection, dry-needling or placebo in a double-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
60

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Oct 2015

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

July 9, 2015

Completed
1 month until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 13, 2015

Completed
2 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

October 1, 2015

Completed
4.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

April 5, 2020

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

April 5, 2020

Completed
Last Updated

July 22, 2020

Status Verified

July 1, 2020

Enrollment Period

4.5 years

First QC Date

July 9, 2015

Last Update Submit

July 21, 2020

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Change in disability questionnaire: DASH-score. Area under the DASH-score versus time curve (AUC).

    Baseline, week 17, 30, and 56.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

  • Change in muscle strength measurements. Area under the strength measurements versus time curve (AUC)

    Baseline, week 17, 30, and 56.

  • Change in ultrasonographic appearance of tendon pathology associated with tendinopathy.

    Baseline, week 30, and 56.

Study Arms (3)

Strength Training + Placebo

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Strength Training: 2 weeks after the inclusion, the patients are instructed in heavy slow resistance exercise by a physiotherapist. Exercise is continued 3 times/week for the following 12 weeks, with supervised follow-up at week 4, 8 and 12. Exercise consists of wrist extension, flexion and supination/pronation. Starting at 3 x 15 repetition maximum, gradually increasing in weight to 3 x 6 repetition maximum from week 8. Placebo: Ultrasound-guided subcutaneous injection of 2 ml isotonic saline over the proximal part of the common extensor tendon origin using a 0,8 mm needle. No-touch technique is used, and the patient is blinded with regards to the content of the syringe and the ultrasound-image.

Other: Strength TrainingProcedure: Placebo

Strength Training + Cortico-Steroid Inj.

EXPERIMENTAL

Strength Training: 2 weeks after the inclusion, the patients are instructed in heavy slow resistance exercise by a physiotherapist. Exercise is continued 3 times/week for the following 12 weeks, with supervised follow-up at week 4, 8 and 12. Exercise consists of wrist extension, flexion and supination/pronation. Starting at 3 x 15 repetition maximum, gradually increasing in weight to 3 x 6 repetition maximum from week 8. Cortico-Steroid Injection: Ultrasound-guided injection of 1 ml depomedrol 40 mg/ml + 1 ml lidocaine 10 mg/ml deep to the proximal part of the common extensor tendon origin using a 0,8 mm needle. No-touch technique is used, and the patient is blinded with regards to the content of the syringe and the ultrasound-image.

Other: Strength TrainingDrug: Cortico-Steroid Injection. Depomedrol 40mg/1ml.

Strength Training + Dry Needling

EXPERIMENTAL

Strength Training: 2 weeks after the inclusion, the patients are instructed in heavy slow resistance exercise by a physiotherapist. Exercise is continued 3 times/week for the following 12 weeks, with supervised follow-up at week 4, 8 and 12. Exercise consists of wrist extension, flexion and supination/pronation. Starting at 3 x 15 repetition maximum, gradually increasing in weight to 3 x 6 repetition maximum from week 8. Dry Needling: Ultrasound-guided penetration of the proximal part of the common extensor tendon origin is repeated 10 times using a 0,8 mm needle, followed by subcutaneous injection of 2 ml isotonic saline superficial to the tendon. No-touch technique is used, and the patient is blinded with regards to the content of the syringe and the ultrasound-image.

Other: Strength TrainingProcedure: Dry Needling

Interventions

Strength Training + Cortico-Steroid Inj.Strength Training + Dry NeedlingStrength Training + Placebo
PlaceboPROCEDURE
Strength Training + Placebo
Strength Training + Cortico-Steroid Inj.
Dry NeedlingPROCEDURE
Strength Training + Dry Needling

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 70 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Pain around the lateral part of the elbow joint for more than 4 weeks.
  • Pain on palpation of the proximal part of the common extensor tendon.
  • Pain reproduced with resisted dorsiflexion of the wrist.
  • Dash score \> 30.
  • Ultrasonographic appearance consistent with lateral elbow tendinopathy (irregular appearance of the tendon, hypo-/hyper-echoic changes, pathological doppler signal, increased tendon thickness).

You may not qualify if:

  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) \> 2 (mild systemic disease).
  • Patients with symptoms consistent with differential diagnoses such as:
  • referred pain,
  • radiohumeral synovitis and bursitis,
  • posterior interosseous nerve entrapment (radial tunnel syndrome),
  • osteoarthritis of the elbow, and
  • prior injections or acupuncture around the elbow joint within the last 6 months

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Bispebjerg Hospital

Copenhagen, 2400, Denmark

Location

Related Publications (7)

  • Green S, Buchbinder R, Barnsley L, Hall S, White M, Smidt N, Assendelft W. Acupuncture for lateral elbow pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;2002(1):CD003527. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003527.

    PMID: 11869671BACKGROUND
  • Brosseau L, Casimiro L, Milne S, Robinson V, Shea B, Tugwell P, Wells G. Deep transverse friction massage for treating tendinitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(4):CD003528. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003528.

    PMID: 12519601BACKGROUND
  • Coombes BK, Bisset L, Vicenzino B. Efficacy and safety of corticosteroid injections and other injections for management of tendinopathy: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Lancet. 2010 Nov 20;376(9754):1751-67. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61160-9. Epub 2010 Oct 21.

    PMID: 20970844BACKGROUND
  • Croisier JL, Foidart-Dessalle M, Tinant F, Crielaard JM, Forthomme B. An isokinetic eccentric programme for the management of chronic lateral epicondylar tendinopathy. Br J Sports Med. 2007 Apr;41(4):269-75. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2006.033324. Epub 2007 Jan 15.

    PMID: 17224433BACKGROUND
  • Magnusson SP, Langberg H, Kjaer M. The pathogenesis of tendinopathy: balancing the response to loading. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2010 May;6(5):262-8. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2010.43. Epub 2010 Mar 23.

    PMID: 20308995BACKGROUND
  • Struijs PA, Smidt N, Arola H, Dijk vC, Buchbinder R, Assendelft WJ. Orthotic devices for the treatment of tennis elbow. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(1):CD001821. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001821.

    PMID: 11869609BACKGROUND
  • Couppe C, Dossing S, Bulow PM, Siersma VD, Zilmer CK, Bang CW, Hoffner R, Kracht M, Hogg P, Edstrom G, Kjaer M, Magnusson SP. Effects of Heavy Slow Resistance Training Combined With Corticosteroid Injections or Tendon Needling in Patients With Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy: A 3-Arm Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Study. Am J Sports Med. 2022 Aug;50(10):2787-2796. doi: 10.1177/03635465221110214. Epub 2022 Jul 22.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Tennis Elbow

Interventions

Resistance TrainingDry Needling

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Elbow TendinopathyTendinopathyMuscular DiseasesMusculoskeletal DiseasesElbow InjuriesArm InjuriesWounds and InjuriesTendon Injuries

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Exercise TherapyRehabilitationAftercareContinuity of Patient CarePatient CareTherapeuticsPhysical Therapy ModalitiesPhysical Conditioning, HumanExerciseMotor ActivityMovementMusculoskeletal Physiological PhenomenaMusculoskeletal and Neural Physiological PhenomenaComplementary Therapies

Study Officials

  • Michael Kjaer, M.D., PhD.

    Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen

    STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
TRIPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
M.D., PhD

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

July 9, 2015

First Posted

August 13, 2015

Study Start

October 1, 2015

Primary Completion

April 5, 2020

Study Completion

April 5, 2020

Last Updated

July 22, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-07

Locations