TENNIS ELBOW RESEARCH (© JCM Ltd)

ACUPUNCTURE FOR TENNIS ELBOW PAIN
A systematic review of published studies on the effect of acupuncture on lateral elbow (tennis elbow) pain has concluded that “there is strong evidence suggesting that acupuncture is effective in short-term pain relief for patients with lateral epicondyle pain”. The studies reviewed were all randomised or quasi-randomised and acupuncture was the only intervention used in the treatment group. In five of the six trials that met the criteria, acupuncture was shown to be superior to the control intervention, and four of the trials showed true acupuncture to be superior to sham or placebo interventions. In the one study which included a one-year follow-up, the benefits of acupuncture were maintained for the duration of the follow-up period. (Rheumatology 2004; 43: 1085–90).

TENNIS ELBOW & ACUPUNCTURE
In a study carried out at Hanover Medical School, 45 patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis were each given two acupuncture treatments, real or sham, every week for 5 weeks. 2 weeks after the end of treatment the group who received real acupuncture demonstrated significantly more improvement in strength, pain intensity and arm function than the sham group, although the improvement was limited to arm function only by two months after the end of treatment. (Rheumatology 2002; 41: 205-9).

ACUPUNCTURE AND CORTICOSTEROIDS
A study carried out in the North of England suggests that patients with tennis elbow who receive acupuncture immediately before injection of corticosteroids respond to much lower doses of corticosteroids than those who do not receive acupuncture first (Acupuncture in Medicine Nov. 1997 Vol. 15 No2, p77).

ACUPUNCTURE AND TENNIS ELBOW
A German placebo-controlled single-blind trial into the treatment of tennis elbow compared a single-needle traditionally selected treatment with a placebo non-penetrative treatment. Pain relief occurred in 55.8% of the treatment group and 15% in the control group. 79.2% of the treatment group reported pain relief of at least 50% after only one treatment. (Molsberger, A. et. al The analgesic effect of acupuncture in chronic tennis elbow pain, BR. J. Rheumatol. [United Kingdom], 1994, 33/12 [1162-1165]).

ACUPUNCTURE AND TENNIS ELBOW
A study on the treatment of tennis elbow using only Yanglingquan GB-34 on the affected side reports that most patients obtained pain relief of 70% (mean pain relief 55%). The results were significantly higher than in a placebo group treated by light pressure at Feishu BL-13. The results were assessed blindly immediately after treatment. (Molsberger A, Hill E, British Journal of Rheumatology, 33: 1162-5).

ACUPUNCTURE & TENNIS ELBOW
Of 55 patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis, 23 were treated with real acupuncture and 22 received sham acupuncture, all receiving 10 treatments, with two treatments per week. At two weeks and 2 months after the end of treatment, there were significant reductions in pain intensity and improvements in the function of the arm and in maximal strength in both treatment groups. At 2-weeks all these differences were significantly greater in the real acupuncture group, and at 2 months the arm function was still better in this group, though not significantly. (Rheumatology (Oxford) 2002 Feb;41(2):205-9).