SynthesisEuropean journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie2025
Comparative efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy and ultrasound on pain and functional outcomes in lateral epicondylitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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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.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Shockwave or Ultrasound Therapy for Tendinopathy? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
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1 author.
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Abstract
backgroundLateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is a common musculoskeletal condition characterized by lateral elbow pain and functional impairment. While both extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and ultrasound therapy are frequently used interventions, their relative effectiveness remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy of ESWT versus ultrasound therapy in improving pain and functional outcomes in patients with lateral epicondylitis through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
methodsSearches were conducted across databases including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Central up until August 2024. We selected studies comparing ESWT and ultrasound for lateral epicondylitis. The primary outcome was pain intensity, assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS). The secondary outcome was functional status, evaluated using the patient-rated tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE) score. The Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB2) tool was used to assess evidence quality, and data analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.
resultsNine RCTs involving 654 participants were included. ESWT demonstrated significantly greater pain reduction than ultrasound (MD = - 0.90, 95% CI [- 1.28, - 0.52], p < 0.0001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in functional outcomes as measured by PRTEE (MD = - 5.28, 95% CI [- 10.61, 0.04], p = 0.05). Substantial heterogeneity was noted for both outcomes.
conclusionESWT appears more effective than ultrasound therapy in reducing pain in lateral epicondylitis. However, this superiority does not extend to functional improvement. Given the observed heterogeneity and borderline statistical significance in functional outcomes, further high-quality trials are warranted.
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Registered trials
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