Effect of Percutaneous Electrolysis Combined With Exercise on Pain and Function in Chronic Lateral Epicondylitis

NCT ID: NCT07277127

Last Updated: 2026-01-07

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 60 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-09-05
• Study Completion Date: 2026-02-25

Brief Summary

The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effects of percutaneous electrolysis combined with exercise versus exercise alone on pain and function in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis. Participants will be randomly allocated into two parallel groups. The control group will receive a 2-week exercise program including stretching and eccentric strengthening exercises for the wrist extensor and forearm muscles. The experimental group will receive the same exercise program plus three sessions of ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis applied to the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon insertion at the lateral epicondyle (on days 1, 8, and 14). Clinical outcomes will be assessed using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain intensity, pressure pain threshold over the common extensor tendon measured with a handheld algometer, the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) questionnaire for pain and functional disability, and the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire for upper limb function. Assessments will be performed at baseline, and then at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after the end of the 2-week treatment period. The study aims to determine whether adding percutaneous electrolysis to an exercise program provides greater improvement in pain and functional status than exercise alone in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis.

Conditions

Lateral Epicondylitis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Exercise

Participants perform a 2-week exercise program including stretching and eccentric strengthening exercises for the wrist extensor and forearm muscles.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

2-week exercise program with stretching and eccentric strengthening for wrist extensors and forearm muscles.

Percutaneous Electrolysis plus Exercise

Participants receive the same 2-week exercise program as the control group plus three sessions of ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis applied to the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon insertion at the lateral epicondyle on days 1, 8, and 14.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

2-week exercise program with stretching and eccentric strengthening for wrist extensors and forearm muscles.

Percutaneous Electrolysis

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Participants receive the same 2-week exercise program as the control group plus three sessions of ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis applied to the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon insertion at the lateral epicondyle on days 1, 8, and 14.

Interventions

Exercise

2-week exercise program with stretching and eccentric strengthening for wrist extensors and forearm muscles.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Percutaneous Electrolysis

Participants receive the same 2-week exercise program as the control group plus three sessions of ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis applied to the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon insertion at the lateral epicondyle on days 1, 8, and 14.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age between 18 and 65 years
• Clinically and MRI-confirmed diagnosis of chronic lateral epicondylitis (symptoms ≥ 3 months)
• Ability and willingness to comply with the treatment protocol and follow-up schedule

Exclusion Criteria

• Previous elbow surgery or fracture in the affected limb
• Local corticosteroid injection or other invasive treatment in the past 3 months
• Cervical radiculopathy, systemic rheumatic disease, or other neurological disorders affecting the upper limb
• Presence of a cardiac pacemaker or diagnosis of epilepsy
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Serious bleeding disorder (coagulopathy) or current anticoagulant therapy
• Inability to follow the exercise protocol or attend follow-up visits

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Sivas State Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Serkan Polat

MD

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Sivas State Hospital

Sivas, , Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Facility Contacts

Serkan Polat, MD

Role: primary

dr.serkan.0505@gmail.com

+9555555555

Other Identifiers

EPTE-001-S

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id