Shock waves and simple exercises may ease tennis elbow pain
NCT ID NCT07170839
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether adding a specific type of exercise to shock wave therapy helps people with tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis). Forty adults aged 39-65 with elbow pain lasting more than 8 weeks were split into three groups: shock waves alone, shock waves plus eccentric exercises, or shock waves plus combined isotonic exercises. All groups received five weekly shock wave sessions, and the exercise groups did supervised workouts three days a week for five weeks. The researchers measured pain, grip strength, and arm function to see which combination worked best.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- extracorporeal shock wave therapy and supervised exercises
- What this could lead to
- If the combined approach works better, it could offer a more effective non-surgical option for easing tennis elbow pain and improving arm function.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 40 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The study compared different exercise types, not a placebo, so benefits over no treatment are unclear.
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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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40 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2025
- Finished
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May 2025
- 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 65 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: * Diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis * Having elbow pain lasting longer than 8 weeks * Diagnosis of unilateral lateral epicondylitis * Being a woman or man between the ages of 18 and 65 * No other lesions in or around the elbow Exclusion Criteria: * Cardiovascular, neurological, and neuromuscular diseases * Prior trauma to the elbow area and previous elbow treatment * Prior elbow surgery * Peripheral nerve entrapment * Corticosteroid injection within 6 months * Bilateral elbow pain
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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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İnönü Üniversitesi
Malatya, Turkey (Türkiye)
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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