In 2006, Manias, et. al., conducted study about Lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET), which is commonly known as tennis elbow, is a painful condition that affects the tendons on the outer side of the elbow. Although exercise programs have been suggested for LET management, the potential benefits of incorporating ice therapy into such programs remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate whether supplementing an exercise regimen with ice therapy would yield better outcomes compared to exercise alone in treating LET.

In this pilot trial, participants with unilateral LET lasting at least four weeks were enrolled. The study allocated participants sequentially into two groups: one received an exercise program combined with ice therapy, while the other underwent the exercise program alone. The exercise program involved gradual eccentric exercises targeting wrist extensors and static stretching of the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendon. For the exercise program/ice group, a 10-minute ice application using an ice bag was administered to the lateral epicondyle following the exercise routine. The patients’ pain levels were assessed using the pain visual analogue scale. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, the end of the treatment period, and three months after treatment. The study also monitored the dropout rate.

Forty participants met the eligibility criteria for the study. Both groups experienced a significant reduction in pain, as evidenced by a decline of approximately 7 units on the visual analogue scale at the end of the treatment period compared to baseline (p<0.0005, paired t-test). Interestingly, there were no substantial differences in the extent of pain reduction between the two groups at both the end of treatment and the three-month follow-up (p<0.0005, independent t-test). Notably, no participants dropped out from the study.

This study demonstrates that an exercise program encompassing eccentric and static stretching exercises effectively alleviates pain in patients with LET, regardless of whether ice therapy is included as a supplement. Both treatment groups experienced substantial pain reduction at the end of the treatment period and maintained these improvements even after three months. However, further research is warranted to determine the relative efficacy, absolute benefits, cost-effectiveness, and underlying mechanisms of action of the exercise program. This study sheds light on a potentially promising approach for LET management and opens the door for more comprehensive investigations in the future.

In summary, this scientific journalism article highlights the key elements of the original abstract, presenting the research findings and implications in a more reader-friendly format while maintaining scientific accuracy.

Reference: Manias, P., & Stasinopoulos, D. (2006). A controlled clinical pilot trial to study the effectiveness of ice as a supplement to the exercise programme for the management of lateral elbow tendinopathy. British journal of sports medicine, 40(1), 81-85.