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Corticosteroid injections or physiotherapy were not more effective than wait and see for tennis elbow at 1 year

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 Q In patients with tennis elbow, what is the relative efficacy of corticosteroid injection, physiotherapy, and wait and see?

Clinical impact ratings GP/FP/Primary care ★★★★★★☆ Physical medicine & rehabilitation ★★★★★★★ Rheumatology ★★★★★★★

METHODS

Embedded ImageDesign:

randomised controlled trial.

Embedded ImageAllocation:

concealed.*

Embedded ImageBlinding:

blinded (data collectors, outcome assessors, and data analysts).*

Embedded ImageFollow up period:

52 weeks.

Embedded ImageSetting:

community setting in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Embedded ImagePatients:

198 patients 18–65 years of age (mean age 48 y, 65% men) with symptoms of tennis elbow lasting ⩾6 weeks. Exclusion criteria included bilateral elbow symptoms, elbow surgery or injury, and nerve involvement.

Embedded ImageIntervention:

corticosteroid injection delivered to painful elbow points (with a second injection 2 wk later, if necessary) (n = 65); physiotherapy consisting of elbow manipulation and therapeutic exercise (8 treatments over 6 wk, plus home exercises) (n = 66); or wait and see (advice to avoid aggravating …

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Footnotes

  • * See glossary.

  • See article on page 3738.

  • For correspondence: Dr B Vicenzino, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia. b.vicenzino{at}uq.edu.au

  • Source of funding: National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

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