Tendinopathies of the UE Test 2 Flashcards
cause of tendinopathy
- Trauma induced tendinopathy- fall and damage tendon
- Poor blood flow
- Poor posture and mechanics
- Poor proximal stability and core strength decreases ability to maintain a good safe posture leading to added stress on the tendons.
Types of Tendon pain
Itis- inflammation
osis- scar tissues (degenerative process with fibrosis, decreased circulation)
algia- nerve irritation
Tenosynovitis- the synovial sheath the tendon runs through is also inflamed.
a combination of all the above.
Lateral Epiconylitis
- AKA Tennis Elbow
- starts as inflammation of the tendon fibers that attach the forearm extensor muscles to the lateral epicondyle.
- Routine us of the arm causing shearing of the ECRB over the radial head especially with the elbow extended or an injury to this area may stress or damage the muscle attachment.
- During the healing the tendons often get stuck in fibroplasia. The tissue has a failure to thrive.
- usually caught after the inflammatory stage.
- especially challenging if it is chronic
Number one muscle involved
ECRB- is always involved.
ECRB, EDC, ECRL, ECU
Dr. Robert Nirschl’s stages of LE
Stage 1- Peritendinous inflammation
Stage II- Angioblastic degeneration- angioblastic fibroplasia- pain not due to inflammation/sensory nerve
Stage III- Further degeneration/rupture
Stage IV- Fibrosis and calcification
Evaluation Components
- Chronic if it is lasting longer than 12 weeks and if they have had it before.
- If only a month and a half or 2 months we can still treat it.
- Radial nerve Bifurcates going into the interosseous membrane and becomes a nerve that feeds your wrist extensors (can get trapped in fibrous tissue. Supinator can get big and bulky leading to compression. If irritated it can cause pain that looks like tennis elbow.
Evaluation components
- If apply long finger extension resistance and causes pain at epicondyle it is most likely tennis elbow.
- If pain is at the arcade of frohse then it may be radial tunnel.
Grip strength testing
No iontophoresis if they have had a cortisone injection before treatment.
In straight arm- a significant decrease in grip strength, when flexed grip should be much stronger for a positive sign with tennis elbow
standing grip is stronger than bent elbow.
May be pain just by having the arm straightened out.
treatment interventions
Anything we do in pronation with arms down in front puts a lot of stress on lateral epicondyle. Internal rotation, adduction, and forward shoulder positioning must be fixed.
Arm above head motions can cause a lot of stress with medial epicondyle
May need to do some soft tissue work on pec minor to loose up and help forward shoulder positioning.
determine if condition is acute or chronic
Can fix problem if you don’t fix what is causing it.
Inflammatory: Tendonitis
- rest
- Ice massage or cold packs
- Cortisone injections
- Iontophoresis using dexamethasone
- stretching exercised
- wrist support/tennis elbow strap
- —Reduces force at ECRB origin when applied to 30-50 mm hg at rest (120 mm hg with activity) by 13-15% . What about radial nerve?
- Osterman L. 2004-Counterforce splinting appropriate only in final stages of rehab with return to heavier activity.
- Serves as a tactile cue for behavior modification or has a TENS effect
Chronic Tennis Elbow
- Tissue needs blood flow and remodeling
- Exercise (graded eccentric exercises)
- Progressive stretching
- Joint mobilization
- Modalities (heat focus- hot packs
- Strengthen core and correct posture.
focus on more reps to help remodel scar tissue.
Ultrasound/Phonophoresis
Ultrasound effective with or without medications but only for short term effects. Systemic review (Smidt et al. 2003) 2 of 23 RCTS supported U.S. over placebo.
Iontophoresis
Iontophoresis: Level 2b support when completing 6 visits in 10 days Nirschl RP et al. AM J Sports Med 2003).
Iontophoresis just as effective as phonophoresis when using Naproxen (Baskurt et al. Clin Rehabil 2003).
No Difference found between steroid and placebo (4 treatments in 2 weeks)
Need to watch out for diabetes because it can raise blood sugar- dexamethasone – not as bad as cortisone (no more than 3 a year) because it breaks down everything. Will eventually effect your bone.
Phonophoresis- medication given through ultrasound.
Both are corticosteroids- one can penetrate the skin better (Dex) cortisone is not as easy (the molecule is too big)
Exercise
Level 1b and 2 b evidence (Trudel 2004)
Five supporting studies – Increased grip with decreased pain
Eccentric training regime can considerably reduce symptoms in a majority of patients.. May be superior to conventional stretching. (Svernlov B., Adolfsson, L. 2001)
Joint Mobilization
More effective then ultrasound and standard therapy. (Drechsler WI 1997, Vicenzio 2001, Struijs 2003, Burton 1988).
Mobilization and Mobilization with Movement techniques were both effective in reducing pain.