Conservative treatment of lateral epicondylitis: comparison of two different orthotic devices.

We investigated the effectiveness of braces in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis and compared the effects of two different types of most frequently used braces. A total of 50 patients (seven males and 43 females) with an age range of 34 to 60 who had the diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis were included in the study. The patients were distributed into two groups. In group I, 25 patients (21 females and four males) were given a lateral epicondyle bandage. In group II, 25 patients (22 females and three males) were given a wrist resting splint holding the wrist in slight dorsiflexion. Evaluations of the patients were done before treatment and at the second and sixth weeks of treatment. Evaluation parameters were pain during rest and movement, sensitivity, algometer score, hand grip strength, and evaluation of the response to treatment. The response to treatment was evaluated according to the following categories: excellent, good, medium, and bad. In group I, only pain during rest and movement significantly decreased at 2 weeks while significant improvement was obtained for all parameters at 6 weeks. In group II, all parameters except for algometric sensitivity showed significant improvement at 2 weeks. Significant improvement was obtained for all parameters at 6 weeks in this group. Comparison of the two groups showed significantly better improvement in resting pain in group II at 2 weeks while there was no difference for other parameters including response to treatment at either evaluation stage. Braces might be a good strategy to help wait out the natural course of tennis elbow complaints. Although epicondyle bandage was not found to be superior to wrist splint in our study, we may suggest that it could be favored over splint since it is more practical and cosmetically acceptable.

Efficacy of a self-management program for osteoporotic subjects.

OBJECTIVE: This study is based on whether the self-management program choices For Better Bone Health is effective to promote behavioral strategies for improving bone health, life quality, pain perception, physical function, and balance in osteoporotic subjects. DESIGN: In this single-blind, randomized controlled study, a total of 50 sedentary women with postmenopausal and idiopathic osteoporosis were selected from the outpatients of Atatürk Balneotherapy and Rehabilitation Center according to their physical activity level and T scores of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry as the inclusion criteria. Fifty sedentary women with BMD T scores of -2.5 or lower were randomized into two groups (self-management group: group 1; and control group: group 2) and enrolled in a 6-mo study. Participants attended self-management class once a week for 5 wks. Evaluations were done at baseline, at the end of the fifth week, and at the sixth month. Pain-intensity evaluation by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), life-quality assessments by SF-36, balance testing by Sensitized Romberg Test (SRT), and functional assessment by Timed Sit to Stand test (TSS) and a simple questionnaire were the outcome measures. RESULTS: When the groups were compared by change scores and percentages of change, improvements observed in pain intensity by VAS (P < 0.001), SF-36 Physical Function (P < 0.001), SF-36 Physical Role Limitations (P < 0.001), SF-36 Social Function (P < 0.001), SF-36 Mental Health (P < 0.001), SF-36 Vitality (P < 0.01), SF-36 Pain (P < 0.001), SF-36 General Health Perceptions (P < 0.05), SF-36 Emotional Role Limitations (P < 0.01), SRT eyes open (P < 0.001), SRT eyes closed (P < 0.001), and TSS (P < 0.001) were determined to be superior in group 1 at the end of the sixth month. Seventy-four percent of patients in group 1 engaged in regular physical activities, and 92% of them declared that they understood the purpose and benefits of medications and dietary calcium intake. Fifty-seven percent of them formed personal plans for preventing traumas, whereas 8% of the subjects in group 2 experienced new falls but no fractures. CONCLUSION: It is determined that the self-management class led to improvements in functional, balance, and life-quality outcomes and to reductions in pain perception.