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Comparing the Effectiveness of the 'Think in Nerve Length and Layers' (TINLL) Approach to Traditional Treatment for Patients With Lateral Elbow Pain.

Who can join

Ages 18 and older · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* understanding of English language; adults 18 years of age or older
* referral for lateral sided elbow pain or lateral epicondylitis
* subjects positive on one of the following (tenderness over lateral epicondyle with palpation
* pain with stretch of long wrist extensors
* pain with resisted wrist or middle finger extension)

Exclusion Criteria:

* subjects unable to cognitively follow directions
* have a legally-mandated reporter
* subjects scheduled for surgery, or post-up surgical patients
* subjects with carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome/medial elbow pain,
* subjects who received Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) or percutaneous needle tenotomy (PNT)

About the study

Lateral elbow pain can significantly limit people's ability to do the activities they want or need to do. We want to explore if one treatment technique is better than another for people with lateral elbow pain.

You will be placed in a traditional treatment group or in a non-traditional treatment group. Your placement in the group will depend on past treatments you have had for this pain.

Before you start treatment, you will be given four tests: 1) a grip strength test, 2) a pinch test, 3) a pain level survey, and 4) a functional survey. These four tests will take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. These four tests are common tests given to people with elbow pain. You will be given these four tests:

* At the beginning, before you start treatment * At 2-weeks * At 4-weeks * At the end of your treatment

Traditional treatment group: You will receive treatment 1x/week for 4-6 weeks. The traditional treatment group will consist of the following treatments:

* stretching and strengthening of the wrist extensors * soft tissue work to the forearm muscles * joint mobilization at the elbow * rigid and elastic taping with focus on the wrist extensor muscles * ergonomic strategies * transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) * wrist splinting

Non-traditional (TINLL) treatment group: You will receive treatment 1x/every 1-2-weeks for 4-6 weeks. The non-traditional (TINLL) treatment group will consist of the following treatments:

* joint and tendon mobilization at the elbow * elastic tape for muscles and nerves * stretching/strengthening of the muscles at the elbow and upper arm * ergonomic strategies

What is being tested

• TINLL techniques for relieving radial nerve tension (other)
• Traditional techniques to stretch and strengthen muscles (other)

Sponsor: University of Vermont · Participants: 68 · Started: Nov 26, 2024

Contact the study team

• Victoria Priganc, PhD · Phone: 802-777-1477

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07385677

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.