Comparison of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy with ultrasound therapy in patients with lateral epicondylitis

Purpose Patients suffering from lateral epicondylitis exhibit diminished mobility due to pain. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of both shockwave and ultrasound therapies in patients with lateral epicondylitis. Methods The shockwave group consisted of 117 patients, 63 patients constituted the ultrasound group, and 18 patients made up the control group. The University of Peloponnese Pain, Functionality and Quality of Life Questionnaire was used for the evaluation of pain, functionality, and quality of life on a five-point Likert scale, pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 4-week follow-up. Results The pain was reduced and the functionality and quality of life were improved in both the shockwave and ultrasound groups post-treatment (p < 0.001) and at 4-week follow-up (p < 0.001), but the results in the ultrasound group were not as pronounced as in the shockwave group (p < 0.001). Conclusion Both radial shockwave and ultrasound therapies were significantly effective in patients with lateral epicondylitis. However, ultrasound therapy was less effective than shockwave therapy.