The effects of Mulligan mobilisation with movement and taping techniques on pain, grip strength, and function in patients with lateral epicondylitis

This experimental design study investigated the effect of a combination of Mulligan techniques and traditional treatment compared with that of traditional treatment alone in patients with lateral epicondylitis. The applied Mulligan techniques included mobilisation with movement and taping, and were aimed to reduce pain, increase grip strength, and improve activities of daily living. A total of 34 patients aged between 16 and 69 years underwent 11 sessions of a combination of Mulligan techniques and traditional treatment (experimental group, nZ17) or traditional treatment only (control group, nZ17). They were evaluated before the treatment, and after 4 weeks, using visual analogue scale, maximum grip strength, and Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation. Analysis showed statistically significant improvement in all outcomes in both the experimental and the control groups. In addition, the mean improvement in visual analogue scale and maximum grip strength was significantly greater in the experimental group than that in the control group. This study showed that the combination of Mulligan techniques with traditional treatment leads to better outcomes in treatment of lateral epicondylitis than traditional treatment alone. © 2010, Elsevier.