Physical Therapy on Non-structural Medial Elbow Pain

Timothy Uhl

Status: Completed

Conditions: Neuritis, Ulnar; Elbow Injuries and Disorders; Neuritis; Nerve Root; Neuritis, Brachial; Neuritis Median Nerve

Treatments: Other: Rehabiltiation using exercise and manual therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05537636

60696

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is investigating the effect of using a regional interdependence approach of managing non-structural elbow pain with physical therapy.

Full description

Potential patients will be referred for physical therapy with elbow nerve pain arising from a non-structural lesion. We believe by addressing spine and trunk posture and mobility we can relieve elbow pain associated with a nerve compression with physical therapy.

Patients will be put on a staged exercise program to regain spinal mobility and strengthen proximal core musculature and scapular musculature. Manual therapy to facilitate mobility will be incorporated. Patients will undergo standard physical therapy by an unblinded therapist until resolution of symptoms.

Enrollment: 22 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 15 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• The patient presents with elbow pain that is not exacerbated with resisted wrist flexion, extension, supination, or pronation.
• The patient presents with elbow pain that is not exacerbated with passive wrist flexion or extension.
• The patient presents with three of the four positive cervical radicular signs
• Patient presents with peripheral paresthesia

Exclusion criteria

• The patient reports a surgical history involving the elbow.
• The patient has an MRI that is positive for structural deficits within the upper extremity.
• The patient self-reports a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis or other neurological systemic diseases such as Parkinson's disease, cerebrovascular accident, multiple sclerosis, or similar conditions

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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22 participants in 1 patient group

Regional Interdepence Intervention for the upper quarter

Experimental group

Description:

Physical therapist will perform interventions to the entire uppper extremity and spine to treat elbow pain. Physical therapy intervention will include manual therapy and soft-tissue massage to the shoulder, cervical, and thoracic spine. Participants will be prescribed specific exercises using a phased approach.

Treatment:

Other: Rehabiltiation using exercise and manual therapy