BACKGROUND: Lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET) is one of the most common lesions of the upper extremity. The level of evidence from studies on LET treatment protocols is insufficient. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of mobilization with movement (MWM) and muscle energy technique (MET) on pain, grip strength, and functionality in patients diagnosed with LET. METHODS: Forty-five patients with LET aged 30–55 years were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into three groups: MWM, MET, and control group. The control group received a 4-week home exercise program. In addition to the home exercise program in the MWM group, 12 sessions of MWM and 12 sessions of MET were performed in the MET group. Participants’ pain, grip strength, and functionality were assessed before and after the study. RESULTS: After the treatment period, greater improvement in pain, grip strength, finger strength, and functionality were observed in the MWM and MET groups than in the control group (p< 0.05), but no statistically significant difference was found between the MWM and MET groups (p> 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that MWM and MET, used in addition to home exercises, can be used to relieve pain and increase grip strength, finger strength, and functionality.

This study was designed to compare the effects of core stabilisation (CS) and auxiliary respiratory muscle strengthening exercises on oxygen consumption and respiratory parameters. A total of 51 participants were divided into three groups with block randomization method according to age and gender: CS Group (n = 17), Auxiliary Respiratory Muscles Exercise (ARM) Group (n = 17) and Control (C) Group (n = 17).Maximum oxygen uptake (VO 2 max), first second of forced expiration (FEV1)/Forced vital capacity (FVC) and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) values were evaluated before and after the study. CS and ARM strengthening exercises were applied 3 days a week for 6 weeks. The increase in the FEV1/VC values was higher in the CS and ARM groups than in the C group (p < 0.05), whereas no statistically significant difference was observed between the ARM and CS groups (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of VO 2 max values before and after the study (p > 0.05). The increase in the MVV values was higher in the CS and ARM groups than in the C group (p < 0.05), whereas no statistically significant difference was observed between the ARM and CS groups (p > 0.05). CS and ARM exercises had positive effects on FEV1/FVC and MVV.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of therapeutic pulsed ultrasound (US) applied underwater in mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Patients and methods: This randomized, placebo-controlled study included 75 patients (114 hands; 7 males, 68 females; mean age: 46.7±9.9 years; range, 24 to 64 years) diagnosed with CTS through clinical evaluation and electroneuromyography (ENMG) results between March 2012 and January 2013. Patients were randomized into three groups. Group 1 received underwater pulsed US, Group 2 received sham US, and Group 3 was the control group. All groups were given night splints. Patients were evaluated at baseline, at the end of treatment (two weeks), and 12 weeks after the treatment using clinical examination tests (Tinel, Phalen, and hand elevation test), hand grip strength, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Pain Quality Assessment Scale (PQAS), and ENMG. Results: In all groups, a significant improvement was detected in the clinical assessment parameters, including the pain VAS, PQAS scores, physical examination outcomes, and hand grip strength. The decrease in VAS score and PQAS was found to be superior in the pulsed US group at both two weeks after the treatment and at the 12th week after the treatment compared to the sham US and control groups (p<0.001). Improvement in ENMG parameters, such as median motor latency, median sensorial velocity, and median sensory latency, was observed only in the underwater pulsed US group (p<0.001). Conclusion: Therapeutic underwater pulsed US is an effective, safe, and easy-to-apply treatment option in the conservative treatment of mild-to-moderate CTS.