Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40567345›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in rehabilitation sciences2025

Efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy and nutraceutical supplementation in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a randomized controlled trial.

Dalila Scaturro, Domenico Migliorino, Sofia Tomasello, Michele Vecchio, Antimo Moretti, Giovanni Iolascon, Giulia Letizia Mauro

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Dalila ScaturroDepartment of Medicine of Precision in the Medical, Surgical and Critical Care Areas, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Domenico MigliorinoSection of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Palermo, Italy.
Sofia TomaselloVilla Delle Ginestre, Palermo Provincial Health Authority, Palermo, Italy.
Michele VecchioSection of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Palermo, Italy.
Antimo MorettiDepartment of Medical and Surgical Specialties and Dentistry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
Giovanni IolasconDepartment of Medical and Surgical Specialties and Dentistry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
Giulia Letizia MauroDepartment of Medicine of Precision in the Medical, Surgical and Critical Care Areas, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Numerous scientific papers have compared different treatment options in the management of lateral epicondylitis. Our study evaluated the efficacy of focal extracorporeal shock wave treatment (ESWT) combined with an integrative nutraceutical treatment of hyaluronic acid, collagen, vitamin C, and manganese, compared with single treatment in patients with lateral epicondylitis in terms of improvement of pain, functional capacity, muscle strength, and reduction of inflammation on ultrasound images. Methods: A single-center, randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in a population of patients with lateral epicondylitis. Patients were enrolled and randomly divided into 3 groups: Group A, consisting of 15 patients who were treated with twenty sessions of therapeutic exercise and five focal ESWT sessions (one session every six days); Group B, consisting of 15 patients who performed twenty sessions of therapeutic exercise and took daily a dietary supplement consisting of Hyaluronic Acid 200 mg, Collagen 5,000 mg, Vitamin C 250 mg and Manganese 10 mg for thirty days; and Group C, consisting of 15 patients, who received a combined treatment of therapeutic exercise, focal ESWT and nutraceutical supplementation The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation Scale (PRTEE) were administered during the first physiatric examination (T0), at 15 days after the start of treatment (T1), and at a 30-day follow-up (T2). In addition, muscle strength (Handgrip strength) was analyzed by means of a dynamometer, and common extensor tendon thickness (CET Thickness) by ultrasound examination. Results: Data analysis showed that NRS scale scores decreased significantly only in group B at T1 ( Discussion: Our study demonstrated that the combination of focal ESWT, therapeutic exercise, and nutraceutical supplementation, represent a viable therapeutic option for the management of lateral epicondylitis; likewise, the proposed treatments resulted in a synergistic effect for pain relief and functional recovery in the short term, providing a decrease in the inflammatory state and an increase in muscle strength.

Indexed as

musculoskeletal diseasenutraceuticals Rehabilitationtendinopathytennis elbowultrasonography

Identifiers

PMID40567345
PMCPMC12187671

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