A Progressive Loading Supervised Exercise Program and Manual Therapy for The Management of Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy: A Case Report

Abstract

The purpose of the case study was to find out the effect of a supervised exercise program combined with Transverse Friction (TF) and Mulligan Mobilization With Movement (MMWM) on disability and pain in a patient experiencing chronic Lateral Elbow tendinopathy (LET). A patient with unilateral LET for 6 months was included in the present study. The patient followed the exercise program five times per week for 4 weeks. The programme was individualized on the basis of the patient’s description of pain experienced during the procedure. TF and MMWM were applied 3 times per weeks for 4 weeks, 12 sessions totally. Outcome measures were function using the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation, a visual analogue scale and the pain-free grip strength and pain using a visual analogue scale. The patient was evaluated at baseline (week 0), at week 4 (end of treatment), at week 8 (1 month after the end of the treatment) and at week 32 (six months after the end of treatment). At the end of the treatment and at the follow – up there was a rise in function and a decline in pain. The findings of the case report suggest that a physiotherapy approach as described in the present case report can produce significant improvements in terms of disability and pain in a patient with chronic LET.