Is Kinesio Taping Effective to the Radial Nerve in Patients With Lateral Epicondylitis? A Randomized-single Blind Study.

Lateral epicondylitis (LE) is the most frequent painful musculoskeletal condition, which is characterized by a pain in the lateral epicondyle of the humerus and the common extensor tendon. The incidence of LE is approximately one to three percent of general population. LE is mostly the result of the overuse and repetitive movements of wrists and hands because of occupational or recreational activities. Diagnosis depends on clinical symptoms, history and physical examination including manual provocation tests. Magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound (US), x-ray and electrophysiological assessment may be used in patient who do not response to conservative treatments. It is known that the radial nerve cross sectional-areas (CSAs) are increased in cases of refractory LE, although nerve conduction studies are normal. There is insufficient evidence to prove the superiority of any of conservative treatments to the others in patients with LE. The literature indicates that Kinesio taping decreases pain intensity, recovers grip strength, and improves functional status in patients with LE. The investigators design a randomized, single-blind, controlled trail to evaluate the effects of Kinesio taping both clinical and using ultrasonography.