Acute Tennis Elbow: Pain and Strength

Lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET), commonly referred to as "tennis elbow" and/or lateral epicondylitis, is the most common tendinopathy in the elbow area. Chronic LET is caused by degenerative or failed healing tendon response and the recommended physiotherapy is highly investigated. Nevertheless, there are no studies to find out the effectiveness of physiotherapy modalities in acute LET, and in some cases (as the present one) the patients are not able to perform an exercise program due to pain.

Dr. Stasinopoulos treated a 23-year-old woman, who was affected by acute LET, with severe pain and very poor muscular strength, measured through current musculoskeletal tests. Bioptron 2 was administered to three locations for 6 min on each location:

1. The external part of the elbow with the arm in extension.
2. The same position with the arm in flexion of 90 degrees.
3. Above the muscles of the wrist with the forearm in mid-position between pronation-supination (positions in which wrist is rotated, allowing to flip the palm either face up or face down).

Treatment was delivered twice a day (morning and afternoon) for five consecutive days, providing ten sessions in total.

At the end of the treatment, the same musculoskeletal tests were run to test the effects of Bioptron Light Therapy. The results showed an important decrease in pain, as well as an important increase in function and muscular strength.

Case study report available upon request.