Golfer's Elbow - Medial Epicondylitis

Prior to any Sonocur treatment, care must be taken to be certain that the patient meets the treatment criteria, has no treatment contraindications, has had the necessary pre-treatment imaging studies, and has read and signed the proper informed consent.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

PROCEDURE TECHNIQUE

1. Place the patient on the treatment table in the lateral position with the affected elbow down in order to prevent excessive external rotation of the shoulder. Position the elbow away from the body with the shoulder slightly extended and the elbow flexed about 30 degrees.
   
   
2. For an alternative treatment position, place the patient in the supine position with the arm flexed above the head and with the hand adjacent to or under the patient's head.
   
   
3. Identify trigger point (sore area near or over medial epicondyle) by palpation and mark with pen if necessary.
   
   
4. Apply transmission gel over trigger point.
   
   
5. Swing Sonocur shock head into place and position over identified trigger point.
   
   
6. Apply shock waves initially at lowest energy level (level 1) at 4Hz.
   
   
7. Move shock head or elbow in small increments until patient reports maximal reproduction of discomfort.
   
   
8. Accomplish fine adjustment of shock wave penetration depth by adjusting amount of fluid in bellows, again with patient feedback to identify maximal trigger point stimulation.
   
   
9. Great care must be taken to precisely identify the exact area of pain. It may require the use of several shocks (eg.100) to identify this site.
   
   
10. Depending upon patient tolerance, gradually increase energy levels to the highest level that can be maximally tolerated. In golfer's elbow, this is generally level two (2) or occasionally level three (3). Rarely, some patients will tolerate up to level four (4). Be certain that the patient does not become too uncomfortable. It is more important to deliver all the shock waves to the correct area at a lower energy level than miss the mark with higher levels because the patient is too uncomfortable.
    
    
11. Readjust the shock head position after every 200-400 shocks to precisely treat the maximal area of tenderness. This is necessary because of slight positional movements which may occur during treatment.
    
    
12. Deliver a total of 2000 shocks to the affected site.
    
    
13. Remove shock head from elbow and observe the site of application.
    
    
14. Wipe away the gel.
    
    
15. Supply patient with post treatment instructions and return appointment for additional treatment or physician visit.
    

HELPFUL HINTS

1. If the patient is exquisitely tender or has significant discomfort, it may be helpful to initiate treatment more distally off of the condyle or slightly away from the point of maximal tenderness. After 100-200 shocks, slowly readjust the shock head so that the shock waves are focused more progressively toward area of maximal tenderness. Slowly advance to the maximal trigger point and complete the treatment.
   
   
2. Inform the patient that it is usual to have soreness after treatment and that often the pain will be worse for a few days until healing begins. Explain that if multiple treatments are necessary, that subsequent treatments can sometimes be more uncomfortable than the initial treatment. In addition, emphasize that healing may take several weeks to occur and that one should not expect maximal improvement until 12 weeks after the last treatment.
   
   

Sonorex Sonocur Treatment Protocols are copyright protected.
© 2012 Sonorex. All rights reserved.