Department of Orthotics & Prosthetics, Iran University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Assist Technol. 2023 Sep 3;35(5):451-459. doi: 10.1080/10400435.2022.2116126. Epub 2022 Sep 12.
Lateral epicondylitis is one of the most common elbow problems. Counterforce braces are commonly used to manage lateral epicondylitis. Recent studies showed that vibration can decrease pain and increase muscle strength by improving motor abilities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a counterforce brace with and without vibration on pain, muscular strength, wrist and elbow joints range of motion in the participants with lateral epicondylitis. In this repeated measure pre-post clinical trial study, 28 participants with lateral epicondylitis were included. Pain were measured with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), wrist and elbow flexor/extensor muscles strength with digital dynamometer, wrist and elbow flexion/extension range of motion with goniometer in 3 condition baseline, counterforce brace and counterforce brace with vibration. Pain using counterforce bracing with vibration showed a significant reduction as compared with baseline and counterforce bracing (P < 0.001). Wrist flexor muscles strength (P = 0.005), elbow flexor/extensor muscles strength respectively (P = 0.04, P = 0.02), wrist flexion/extension range of motion (P < 0.001) following the use of counterforce bracing with vibration increased significantly compared with baseline. The results show that the counterforce bracing with and without vibration relieves pain and improves range of motion and muscles strength in lateral epicondylitis participants, but this improvement is more significant with the use of vibration.
外侧上髁炎是最常见的肘部问题之一。对抗力支具常用于治疗外侧上髁炎。最近的研究表明，振动可以通过改善运动能力来减轻疼痛和增加肌肉力量。本研究旨在评估带振动和不带振动的对抗力支具对外侧上髁炎患者疼痛、肌肉力量、腕关节和肘关节活动度的影响。在这项重复测量的前后临床试验研究中，纳入了 28 名外侧上髁炎患者。疼痛采用视觉模拟评分（VAS）测量，腕关节和肘关节屈肌/伸肌力量采用数字测力计测量，腕关节和肘关节屈伸活动度采用量角器测量，分别在 3 个条件下进行：基线、对抗力支具和带振动的对抗力支具。与基线和对抗力支具相比，使用带振动的对抗力支具时疼痛明显减轻（P<0.001）。与基线相比，使用带振动的对抗力支具后，腕关节屈肌力量（P=0.005）、肘关节屈肌/伸肌力量分别（P=0.04，P=0.02）以及腕关节屈伸活动度（P<0.001）均显著增加。结果表明，带振动和不带振动的对抗力支具均可缓解疼痛，改善外侧上髁炎患者的活动度和肌肉力量，但振动的使用可显著提高这些改善效果。
