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Blood Flow Restriction Training in Tennis Elbow

NCT07710976 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 60

Last updated 2026-07-21

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Lateral epicondylitis (LE) is a common musculoskeletal disorder caused by repetitive overuse of the forearm extensor muscles. It is characterized by pain over the lateral epicondyle of the humerus, which may radiate to the surrounding tissues at the origin of the wrist extensor tendons. LE is one of the most frequent causes of lateral elbow pain, with a reported prevalence of approximately 1-3% in the general population.

Among conservative interventions, exercise-based rehabilitation is considered a cornerstone of management. In particular, exercise programs incorporating eccentric contractions have demonstrated superior clinical outcomes compared with several other exercise approaches and are therefore widely recommended.

Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) has recently emerged as an alternative rehabilitation strategy that promotes neuromuscular adaptations while using low mechanical loads. BFRT involves the application of a pneumatic cuff, tourniquet, or elastic band around the proximal portion of an extremity to partially restrict arterial inflow while substantially reducing venous return, thereby creating localized metabolic and hemodynamic stress during exercise.

The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effects of BFRT on pain, functional status, pain-free grip strength, health-related quality of life, and ultrasonographic characteristics of the common extensor tendon in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

Conditions

  • Tennis Elbow Syndrome

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Blood Flow Restriction Training

Both groups participated in a supervised exercise program consisting of 12 sessions over four weeks (three sessions per week), with each session lasting approximately 45 minutes. Each treatment session began with 3-5 minutes of transverse friction massage applied to the painful region, followed by gentle circular soft-tissue mobilization in a proximal-to-distal direction. Resistance exercises were then performed using dumbbells and consisted of concentric and eccentric wrist extension and forearm supination exercises. The order of exercises was standardized for all participants throughout the intervention period. Participants allocated to the BFRT group performed the exercise program under blood flow restriction using a pneumatic cuff positioned around the proximal portion of the affected upper arm. Before the intervention, arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) was individually determined for each participant. The cuff pressure used during training was set at 50% of the individual AOP. Tot

PROCEDURE

Exercise without blood flow restriction

Participants in the control group performed the identical exercise protocol without blood flow restriction.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Necmettin Erbakan University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • SAMİ KÜÇÜKŞEN, Professor · Necmettin Erbakan University, Faculty of Medicine

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
75 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-02-28
Primary Completion
2026-02-28
Completion
2026-02-28

Countries

  • Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07710976 on ClinicalTrials.gov