[Sports-induced acute epicondylitis of the elbow and conservative therapy]

Abstract

48 patients with an acute lateral and/or medial epicondylitis of the elbow, induced by sporting activities, were treated in a prospective, controlled, double-blind, and randomised clinical study over a period of one to two weeks in a standard manner, either with taping and the oral NSAID proglumetacine b.i.d. (26 patients: 8 women, 18 men; mean age of 37.8 years) or with taping and an oral placebo b.i.d. (22 patients: 11 women, 11 men; mean age of 40.0 years). The course of complaints was followed on the basis of a functional index (created according to Lequesne). Taking into account the prior definition of efficacy, at the end of the 1st week of all 22 NSAID group patients, enrolled and treated according to the protocol, there were already 21 responders and of all 19 corresponding placebo group patients, there were 12 responders. The difference is statistically significant (p = 0.0157). The rate of efficacy was 95.5% in the verum (plus taping) group and 63.2% in the placebo (plus taping) group with a further amelioration in both groups at the end of the study. Safety was comparably good in both the verum as well as the placebo group.