EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK-WAVE THERAPY FOR TEN NIS ELBOW - AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT CONCEPT

During the last 2 years 75 patients referred to our hospital for opera tion of a persistent tennis elbow were followed prospectively after re ceiving low-energetic extracorporal shock wave therapy. 3 times in wee kly intervals all patients received 1000 impulses of the energy densit y 0.06 mJ/mm(2). Follow-ups were performed at 3, 6, 12, 24 weeks. Stat istical analysis showed significant improvement both of subjective and objective criteria. 41 patients became painfree. Only 7 patients deci ded to have an operation after the 24-weeks-follow-up. Ambulatory shoc k wave therapy is a considerable alternative before surgical intervent ion in chronic tennis elbow.