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.
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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
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Locations
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Ibadat International University, Islamabad
Peshawar, KPK, 25000, Pakistan
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