[tresor]

Just read a short notice in the morning paper that one of the hospitals here in Sweden have started to treat tennis elbow with Botox. Apparently with great success.

The notice also said that the condition was caused by overload but persisted cause of cronic lack of oxygene in the muscle.
The Botox would give the muscle complete rest and increase the blood flow in the muscle.

I guess the medical part of the notice isn't really accurate.



//Tresor

[jwi]

Newspaper hype, I'm afraid. Several double blind studies on botox injections to improve tennis elbows have been done before, none with any conclusive positive result afaik.

[duncan]

This idea has been around for some time. There is not a lot of research and findings are mixed.

Small RCT of Botox versus placebo injection - no difference seen.

Larger RCT of Botox versus placebo injection - better outcome from Botox but effect was small.

Small RCT Botox versus corticosteroid injection - greater pain reduction from steroids

Systematic review suggest Botox is moderately helpful compared to doing nothing but not better than other treatments.

[tresor]

For some selfish reason your answers make me feel a little better, been pain free for about a month now after more or less two years pain one or the other elbow....


//Tresor

[danm]

Pretty good elbow maintenance article in the latest Rock & Ice. I've suffered badly in the past with Golfer's elbow and sore forearms (brachioradialis?). Prevention is the best cure for me, since taking up yoga, a good balancing activity to climbing (and sitting at a computer) touch wood I'm stronger and more pain free than ever.