To compare the clinical effects of ultrasonography (USG)-guided corticosteroid injection and extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in lateral epicondylitis.

A total of 61 patients with lateral epicondylitis were recruited from the outpatient department of orthopedics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from July to October 2018 in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into two groups (A and B) according to the treatment method used. USG-guided corticosteroid injection was performed in group A with 31 patients. ESWT was performed in group B with 30 patients. The t-test was used to compare the difference in visual analog scale (VAS) score, grip strength, and patient-rated tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE) between the two groups, and the Chi-square test was used to compare the recurrence rate.

The patients were followed for an average duration of (7.2±0.9) months. One month after treatment, the VAS score in group A was significantly lower than that in group B [(1.8±0.4) vs (3.2±0.5), t=12.0959, P<0.001]. No significant differences were found in VAS and PRTEE scores at 3 months post-treatment between the two groups (P>0.05). The VAS [(1.7±0.3) vs (2.8±0.4), t=-12.1772, P<0.001] and PRTEE [(13.2±2.9) vs (22.3±5.1), t=-8.6024, P<0.001] scores as well as grip strength [(12.3±2.5)% vs (28.4±3.2)%, t=-21.9381, P<0.001] and recurrence rate [0/31 vs 4/30, χ²=4.4234, P=0.035] at 6 months post-treatment [(12.3±2.5)% vs (28.4±3.2)%; 0/31 vs 4/30] were significantly lower in group A than in group B.

For patients with lateral epicondylitis, USG-guided corticosteroid injection is an efficient treating method compared with ESWT. However, ESWT is an alternative method with the advantages of non-invasiveness and high safety.