Effectiveness of Chiropractic Cervical Manipulation in Lateral Epicondylitis

The Effect of Chiropractic Cervical Manipulation on Pain, Functionality and Grip Strength in Patients With Lateral Epicondylitis

İt is aimed to examine the effect of chiropractic cervical manipulation on pain, functionality and grip strength in patients with lateral epicondylitis and whether it is preferable to placebo.

Lateral Epicondylitis (LE) is known as chronic symptomatic degeneration of the forearm common extensor tendon attachment at the humeral ectochondyle. It is one of the most common overuse syndromes today and is characterized by loss of function and pain due to an inflammatory reaction that occurs during stretching of the condyle.

The main goals of the treatments are to relieve pain, reduce overload on the arm and elbow joints, accelerate the healing process and enable the patient to regain functionality in daily life activities at the optimum time. Many treatment methods have been applied for this purpose, and the number of studies on the effectiveness of manual applications is increasing. Among manual applications, chiropractic applications have recently attracted attention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• (1) age between 20-50 years,
• (2) dominant right extremity and ipsilateral lateral epicondylitis,
• (3) full range of motion in the cervical region,

Exclusion Criteria:

• (1) spinal root compression (radiculopathy),
• (2) neurologic symptoms such as loss of strength in the lower extremities, upper extremities and face, numbness, involuntary movements, abnormal gait pattern, dizziness, nausea/vomiting of unknown cause, swallowing and speech difficulties,
• (3) pregnancy,
• (4) presence of active malignancies,
• (5) positive pre- manipulative vertebrobasilar insufficiency test,
• (6) use of anticoagulant and antiaggregant drugs,
• (7) history of previous cervical surgery or whiplash,
• (8) acute inflammatory disease,
• (9) positive results of the test performed before manipulation in the cervical spine (foraminal compression test,
• (10) any deformity in the New York Posture analysis,
• (11) unwillingness to participates