FUNDA TAŞCIOĞLU, CENGİZ ÖNER, ONUR ARMAĞAN
Kocatepe Tıp Dergisi - 2003;4(1):23-29
The aim of this study was to compare the short-term efficacy of ibuprofen iontophoresis and low energy laser in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Sixty patients with lateral epicondylitis were randomly assigned to ibuprofen iontophoresis or laser groups. Each treatment was applied for ten days. The treatment outcomes were evaluated according to the following methods: a four-point scale was used for the assessment of pain intensity at rest, during function and provoked by resisted wrist extension and palpation; pain free grip strength; lifting test. The clinical assessments were performed before and after the treatment period. A statistically significant pain relief was achieved in the iontophoresis groups at the end of the treatment. In the laser group only pain on pressure decreased in a statistically significant manner. The improvement in pain on pressure was significantly greater in the iontophoresis treated group (p=0.029). The improvement in grip strength indicated a significant difference in favor of the iontophoresis group (p=0.020). The maximum weight that the patients could lift without pain also increased significantly in only iontophoresis group. Our results suggested that ibuprofen iontophoresis is safe and effective in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis and low-level laser treatment used alone cannot be considered as a very effective treatment in lateral epicondylitis.
