Shock wave therapy evaluation in the complex treatment of athletes with lateral epicondylitis

Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of shock wave therapy in the complex treatment of athletes with lateral epicondylitis in comparison with standard methods of treatment.Materials and methods: On outpatient treatment in the period from 2019 to 2022. There were 168 athletes diagnosed with Lateral epicondylitis, including 78 women (46.4 %) and 90 men (53.6 %) aged 20 to 45 years. The mean age of the patients was 31.48 ± 6.72 years. The average duration of the disease was 33.68 ± 28.17 days. To achieve the set goals and objectives, a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted. We used a clinical examination of patients, a study of carpal dynamometry of the affected arm, an assessment of the level of pain and quality of life using the QuickDash and Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) scales, statistical research methods, as well as the use of standard treatment for lateral epicondylitis and radial shock wave therapy with an assessment of effectiveness one month after treatment.Results: shock wave therapy in the complex treatment of athletes with lateral epicondylitis, compared with standard methods of treatment, improved the quality of life and reduced pain three weeks after the start of treatment and has a more pronounced effect in the long term (p < 0.05); allowed to reduce the intensity of the signal from the bone tissue (trabecular edema) according to the results of magnetic resonance imaging.Conclusion: the expediency of using shock wave therapy in the complex treatment of athletes with lateral epicondylitis is substantiated, which makes it possible to recommend its use in practical healthcare.