Article
Strength and pain measures associated with lateral epicondylitis bracing,☆☆

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Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of bracing on measures of pain-free grip strength and pain scores in individuals with unilateral lateral epicondylitis through a comparison of two elbow braces, a placebo brace, and a no-brace situation.

Design: Repeated-measures design in which the subjects acted as their own controls.

Setting: A clinical research laboratory at a hand and upper limb clinic.

Patients: Fifty individuals diagnosed by a physician with unilateral lateral epicondylitis, having symptoms for at least 3 weeks, were recruited from the community.

Interventions: The braces studied were the Count'R-Force Tennis Elbow Brace, the Body Glove Airprene Elbow Support, and a placebo brace that consisted of a modified DePuy Levy Clinic Patella Strap.

Main Outcome Measures: Pain-free grip strength measured using an NK Biotechnical Corporation Hand Assessment System DIGIT-grip Device and pain scores measured on a visual numeric rating scale.

Results: No significant differences in pain-free grip strength or pain were observed between any of the test situations (p > .05). Pain during the test, however, was greater than pain before or after the test (p < .05).

Conclusions: When tests were completed on one occasion with the brace on, no advantages of elbow bracing were detected. Whether bracing is effective when used as a treatment technique for an extended period of time should be addressed in future research.

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    Supported by the Dr. William Burkhalter Memorial Research Award from the American Hand Therapy Foundation and the 1996 Ann Collins Whitmore Memorial Award from the Physiotherapy Foundation of Canada. The test site was the Hand and Upper Limb Centre, Clinical Research Laboratory, St. Joseph's Health Centre, London, Ontario, Canada.

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    No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are affiliated.

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