Research summary · Recovery and rehabilitation
Added blood-flow restriction improved grip, but not pain, in elbow rehabilitation
Fifty-two patients with lateral epicondylitis received conventional physiotherapy with or without additional low-load blood-flow restriction training. Both groups completed 12 sessions over six weeks, with grip strength as the primary outcome.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Single-blind randomized clinical trial
- Journal
- Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
- Population / context
- Lateral elbow tendinopathy · Grip-dependent activity
What the publication reports
Grip strength and patient-reported elbow function favoured the additional-training group. Both groups improved, but between-group differences in pain ratings and treatment satisfaction were not statistically significant. The findings distinguish better grip performance from an added pain-relieving effect.
Limits and interpretation
This small, short-term clinical trial did not establish long-term recovery, return to sport or effectiveness specifically in tennis players. Blood-flow restriction requires appropriate screening and supervision; these results are not a self-treatment protocol.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
Addition of low-load blood flow restriction training to conventional physiotherapy improves handgrip strength and function in patients with lateral epicondylitis at the short-term: A single-blind randomized clinical trial
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42842742DOI: 10.1177/10538127261494053Reader discussion
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