Massage showdown: which technique eases tennis elbow pain best?
NCT ID NCT07695064
First seen Jul 10, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026
Summary
This trial compares two hands-on treatments for chronic tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis): manual cross friction massage and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM). Adults aged 18 to 60 with elbow pain lasting at least six months will receive one of the two techniques three times a week for six weeks. Researchers will measure changes in pain, range of motion, and functional disability to see which approach works better.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Manual Cross Friction Massage and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
- What this could lead to
- If one technique proves more effective, it could become a preferred non-drug treatment for chronic tennis elbow, reducing pain and improving daily function.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 36 participants, so results may not apply widely. Both treatments are manual therapies, and individual responses can vary.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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36 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2026
- Finished
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Jul 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Both male and female aged between 18 to 60 years with a clinical diagnosis of lateral elbow pain lasting for≥ 6 months duration VAS score ≥ 4 during resisted wrist extension or grip activity ≥1 of the following tests being positive . Mill's test pain on passive wrist flexion and elbow extension Cozen's test pain on resisted wrist extension, elbow extended, wrist in flexion and medial deviation . Painful palpation at the origin of the ECRB or lateral epicondyle Exclusion Criteria: * Participants will be excluded as: History of recent fracture,dislocation,or surgery near the elbow joint in the last 3 month Neurological or systemic inflammatory conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis) Current use of corticosteroid injections in the elbow region within the past 6 weeks Previous physiotherapy interventions for the same complaint in the last 3 months. Skin disorders or open wounds near the treatment area.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Ibadat International University, Islamabad
Peshawar, KPK, 25000, Pakistan
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