Comparative Effects of Multiple Angle Isometrics vs Standard Isometric Exercise in Lateral Epicondylitis

September 28, 2026 updated by: Ibadat International University, Islamabad

Comparative Effects of Multiple Angle Isometrics vs Standard Isometric Exercise in Lateral Epicondylitis:A Randomized Controlled Trial

Lateral Epicondylitis is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions affecting 1-3% of population.Various terminologies are used to describe the disease like tendinitis of extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle (ECRB), periostitis and radial epicondylitis, lateral epicondylitis is still the most used terminology in literature. Research shows that LE mainly targets population which is active with poor nutrition habits and biomechanical faults thus affecting their job and social life. Pain is seen to be activity dependent and is triggered via excessive muscle activity.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is a frequent musculoskeletal condition, which involves pain, decreased grip strength and functional impairments due to a degeneration of the common extensor tendon. Despite the fact that isometric exercises are widely applied in the conservative treatment of lateral epicondylitis for their analgesic and strengthening properties, the most effective way of isometric training is not known. Multiple Angle Isometric (MAI) exercises are designed to engage a larger number of muscle fibres, increase neuromuscular activation and strengthen muscles across their entire range of motion than single angle isometric exercises.

The objective of this randomized controlled trial is to determine the effectiveness of the Multiple Angle Isometric (MAI) exercise to reduce pain, strengthen the wrist extensor muscles and increase upper limb function in patients with lateral epicondylitis when compared with the Standard Isometric (SI) exercise. The total number of participants is 36 with acute and sub acute lateral epicondylitis and will be sampled by non-probability purposive sampling and divided into two intervention groups by random allocation. All subjects will then be given the same initial treatment (hot pack and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation [TENS]) and then their respective exercise protocols. The intervention will take place three times a week for four weeks.

The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) will be used to assess pain intensity, Camry digital hand dynamometer to assess wrist extensor grip strength, and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire will be used to assess functional disability. Measurements will be taken pre- and post- and post-4 weeks after completion of the intervention. This study's results will give physiotherapists evidence for comparative effectiveness of the Multiple Angle Isometric and Standard Isometric exercise protocols to choose the most effective rehabilitation approach for lateral epicondylitis and optimal patient outcomes.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
36

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Pakistan
    • Punjab Province
      • Islamabad, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 4000
        • Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

25 years to 35 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

  • Inclusion Criteria:
  • Adults aged 25-35 years.
  • Clinically diagnosed with acute or subacute lateral epicondylitis.
  • Patients with ≥3 out of the following 5 positive clinical tests:
  • Pain on palpation over the lateral epicondyle.
  • Cozen's test positive.
  • Mill's test positive.
  • Maudsley's test positive.
  • Acute or subacute clinical presentation.
  • Willing to participate and provide written informed consent.
  • Exclusion Criteria:
  • Cervical spine disorders.
  • Chronic lateral epicondylitis.
  • Elbow deformity (fracture, previous surgery, contracture, etc.).
  • Diabetes mellitus.
  • Steroid injection at the lateral epicondyle within the previous 3 months.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis or other neurological or muscular disorders.
  • Previous elbow injury.
  • Arthritic changes or calcifications around the elbow joint on radiographs. Malignancy.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Corticosteroid injection to the lateral epicondyle within the previous 6 weeks.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Group A-Multiple Angle Isometrics (MAI)

Participants will be given baseline treatment with a hot pack and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), then the exercises will be therapist-supervised multiple angle isometric wrist extensors at neutral, 15° and 30° wrist extension. There will be 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise with 6-second hold (Weeks 1-2) followed by 12-second hold (Weeks 3-4) with 1-minute rest between sets, 3 times per week, 4 weeks total.
Other: Multiple Angle Isometrics Exercises

Baseline treatment with a hot pack and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), then the exercises will be therapist-supervised multiple angle isometric wrist extensors at neutral, 15° and 30° wrist extension. There will be 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise with 6-second hold (Weeks 1-2) followed by 12-second hold (Weeks 3-4) with 1-minute rest between sets, 3 times per week, 4 weeks total.
Active Comparator: Group B - Standard Isometric Exercise

Participants will get the same baseline treatment (hot pack and TENS) and then do therapist supervised standard isometric wrist extensor exercises at a single (neutral) wrist position, with the same dosage and frequency (3 sets × 10 repetitions, 6-second hold during Weeks 1-2, 12-second hold during Weeks 3-4, 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks).
Other: Standard Isometric Exercsises

Baseline treatment (hot pack and TENS) and then do therapist supervised standard isometric wrist extensor exercises at a single (neutral) wrist position, with the same dosage and frequency (3 sets × 10 repetitions, 6-second hold during Weeks 1-2, 12-second hold during Weeks 3-4, 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
Time Frame: Baseline, Week2 , Week 4

Assesses pain intensity using an 11-point numerical scale (0-10).
Baseline, Week2 , Week 4
Grip Strength (Camry Digital Hand Dynamometer)
Time Frame: Baseline, 2 Week, 4 Week

Assess wrist extensor grip strength using a digital hand dynamometer.
Baseline, 2 Week, 4 Week
Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire
Time Frame: Baseline, 2 Week, 4 Week

Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire is a standardized tool that relies on patient-reported outcomes to evaluate function and disability in the upper limbs. It includes 30 questions designed to assess how symptoms affect daily tasks and physical abilities. Scores are calculated on a scale from 0 to 100, where higher values reflect more severe disability.
Baseline, 2 Week, 4 Week

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Ibadat International University, Islamabad

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Maria Fatima Mughees, DPT, Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 11, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 10, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 10, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 23, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 28, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 28, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Ref no: IIUI/RERC/ADT/2026/02/

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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