Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Prosthet Orthot Int. 2020 Oct;44(5):341-354. doi: 10.1177/0309364620930618. Epub 2020 Jul 8.
Lateral elbow tendinopathy, also known as "tennis elbow" or "lateral epicondylitis," is a common disease leading to pain in the lateral side of the elbow and disability during hand gripping. A counterforce brace is one of the most conventional treatments. However, its effects on outcomes remain inconclusive.
To investigate the effects of counterforce braces on pain in subjects with lateral elbow tendinopathy. Grip strength was reviewed as a secondary outcome.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CENTRAL, PEDro, ProQuest, RECAL, and RehabData were searched from January 1, 1995, through June 15, 2019.
Seventeen studies were included with a total of 1145 participants. A small improvement in pain over the short term (standardized mean difference -0.02; 95% confidence interval: -0.85 to 0.80) and a moderate-to-large improvement in pain in subjects 45 years or younger (standardized mean difference -0.86; 95% confidence interval: -2.45 to 0.72) in favor of the brace versus physiotherapy interventions were found. In contrast, over the long-term physiotherapy interventions (standardized mean difference 1.17; 95% confidence interval: -0.00 to 2.34), wrist splint (standardized mean difference 0.35; 95% confidence interval: -0.07 to 0.76), and laser therapy (standardized mean difference 0.58; 95% confidence interval: -0.44 to 1.59) had better effects on pain improvement versus the brace.
The results indicated that physiotherapy interventions compared to counterforce braces have better effects, especially over the long-term. However, counterforce braces may have better effects on pain in younger people (<45 years old) over the short term (<6 weeks).
The results suggest that counterforce bracing is a reasonable strategy to alleviate pain over the short term. However, the subgroup analysis suggests that factors such as age may have a role in their effectiveness.
外侧肘肌腱病，也称为“网球肘”或“外上髁炎”，是一种导致肘部外侧疼痛和手握力丧失的常见疾病。对抗力支具是最常规的治疗方法之一。然而，其对结果的影响仍不确定。
研究对抗力支具对外侧肘肌腱病患者疼痛的影响。握力是次要结果。
随机对照试验的系统评价和荟萃分析。
从 1995 年 1 月 1 日至 2019 年 6 月 15 日，检索了 PubMed、Embase、Scopus、Web of Science、CENTRAL、PEDro、ProQuest、RECAL 和 RehabData。
纳入了 17 项研究，共 1145 名参与者。在短期（标准化均数差-0.02；95%置信区间：-0.85 至 0.80）和 45 岁或以下的受试者中，对抗力支具与物理治疗干预相比，疼痛有较小到中等程度的改善（标准化均数差-0.86；95%置信区间：-2.45 至 0.72）。相比之下，在长期（标准化均数差 1.17；95%置信区间：-0.00 至 2.34），腕部夹板（标准化均数差 0.35；95%置信区间：-0.07 至 0.76）和激光治疗（标准化均数差 0.58；95%置信区间：-0.44 至 1.59）的物理治疗干预对疼痛改善的效果更好。
结果表明，与对抗力支具相比，物理治疗干预的效果更好，特别是在长期。然而，对抗力支具在短期内（<6 周）对<45 岁的年轻人的疼痛可能有更好的效果。
结果表明，对抗力支具是缓解短期疼痛的合理策略。然而，亚组分析表明，年龄等因素可能在其有效性中发挥作用。
