A comparative study of the efficacy of ultrasonics and extracorporeal shock wave in the treatment of tennis elbow: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

The authors performed a meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials comparing extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and ultrasound (US). A total of 233 patients were included, and the outcomes of interest were pain score (at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months), grip strength, elbow function, and subjective judgment of comprehensive efficacy. Overall, the authors found that pain scores at 1, 3, and 6 months, grip strength at 6 months, and subjective judgment of efficacy all significantly favoured ESWT. On the other hand, global elbow function was not significantly different between the two treatments.