The Effect of Prolotherapy on Lateral Epicondylitis of Elbow

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of prolotherapy on lateral epicondylitis, and the difference of treatment effect according to the findings of ultrasonography. METHOD: The subjects were 84 patients who were diagnosed as lateral epicondylitis. The pain score was evaluated by using VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) before treatment and 1 month and 6 months after the 3rd injection. Ultrasonography was done to 49 patients who were suspicious of tendinous tear. RESULTS: In the comparison of the VAS before treatment and after the 3rd injection, it was 6.79+/-0.88, 2.95+/-1.90, respectively, which demonstrated statistical significant decrease (p<0.01). We found more significant reduction of VAS in the subjects without tendinous tear (7.08+/-0.91 to 2.16+/-1.57) than those with partial tendinous tear (6.90+/-0.93 to 3.67+/-1.76) (p<0.01). Among 71 patients whose symptom was improved after the treatment, 57 patients (80.2%) demonstrated sustained improvement at 9 months and 14 patients (19.7%) relapsed at 9 months. CONCLUSION: Prolotherapy is an effective treatment method in the lateral epicondylitis of elbow. Ultrasonography could be a useful diagnostic method which could predict the effect of prolotherapy.

The Effect of Prolotherapy for the Chronic Pain of Musculoskeletal System

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of prolotherapy in relieving the pain of patients with tendon or ligament laxity. METHOD: The subjects were 67 patients (40 male, 27 female) who were suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain, excluding those with metabolic diseases that could influence the nature of the pain. The effect of the treatment was evaluated by checking the VAS score after a monthly injection of 15% dextrose solution injected around the patient's ligaments and teno-osseous junction that were suspicious of laxity. This same procedure was followed after a second injection. To make an accurate evaluation before and after the treatment, the use of NSAID, physical therapy or exercise therapy was prohibited. RESULTS: The mean pain duration of the subjects was 5.48+/-7.04 years, and the mean age of the subjects was 49.58+/-16.52 years. The result from VAS showed a statistically remarkable reduction after the injection (p0.05). CONCLUSION: This research demonstrated that prolotherapy is an effective method in treating patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain caused by tendon or ligament relaxation.

Study on Jumper's Knee: Symptom and Diagnostic Method by Using MRI and Ultrasonography in Basket Ball Players

OBJECTIVE: To assess the jumper's knee for the symptoms and diagnostics by MRI and ultrasonography in basket ball players. METHOD: Twenty knees of 10 basketball players with chronic knee pain were assessed by the history taking, physical examination and diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography. Their average age was 17.4 years. Stanish classification is used for grading the symptoms of jumper's knee. RESULTS: Nine proximal patellar tendons were diagnosed as jumper's knees (45%) and 11 distal tendons were diagnosed as jumper's knees (55%). In ultrasonographic findings, average proximal patellar tendon thickness was 4.5 mm+/-1.2 mm, and distal patella tendon thickness was 7.1+/-1.1 mm. Sensitivity was 63% (12/19) and specificity was rated as 100% (21/21). By the MRI findings, sensitivity was rated as 32% (6/19) and specificity was rated as 90% (16/21). Study between the patient's clinical severity level by Stanish classification and thickness of patellar tendon showed no significant correlation (<0.5). CONCLUSION: The ultrasonography to be more convenient and easier as a diagnostic method for the jumper's knee than MRI.