[Extracorporeal shock wave therapy--an alternative concept for the treatment of epicondylitis of the humerus and radius?].

In a prospective study, 16 patients with chronic, painful epicondylitis humeri radialis were treated with extracorporal high-energy shock waves. A complaint-free period of 3 months was achieved in 13 patients. In 2 of them complete release from pain was achieved for more than 3 months. We conclude that release from the symptoms is achieved by local hyperemia in the area of tendinitis. In contrast to the encouraging observations of other authors, our results suggest that a critical view of extracorporal shock waves for the treatment of chronic epicondylitis radialis of the elbow is reasonable.