Effectiveness of Iontophoresis and Phonophoresis on Pain in Patients with lateral Epicondylitis: A Comparative Study

Lateral epicondylitis is the most common overuse syndrome occurring in lateral side of elbow region. Pain occurs at the lateral epicondyl from where common extensor tendon originates. Individuals from mechanical profession and sports (such as Tennis) or recreational activities who are prone to repetitive stress and vigorous use of forearm muscles are tend to have lateral epicondylitis. Diagnosis can be made by history and the tests which reproduces the pain. Electrotherapeutic modalities are most commonly used for treating pain at the affected side. However, agreement on a clearly superior modality has not been substantiated in the literature. So, this study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of iontophoresis and phonophoresis on pain in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

To study and compare the effectiveness of iontophoresis and phonophoresis on pain in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

32 patients with lateral epicondylitis were equally included in two groups after taking ethical approval for the present study. Along with the conventional physiotherapy, patients in Group A were given iontophoresis, while in Group B phonophoresis was given using sodium diclofenac for 6 days. Pre and post interventional outcome measures in terms of VAS score at rest & at activity, PRtEE score and Grip strength in KG force were evaluated. Data of 32 patients were analysed after the completion of the treatment.

Results showed significant improvement in all the outcome measures within group (p < 0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference found for any of the outcome measures between groups (p > 0.05).

It can be concluded that iontophoresis and phonophoresis both are equally effective and either of them can be used in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis.