Effectiveness of Myofascial Release for Management of Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review Protocol

Lateral Epicondylitis (LE) is one of the most prevalent elbow tendinopathies, characterised by pain at the humeral lateral epicondyle when the wrist is dorsiflexed against resistance. Individuals with LE report pain and functional difficulties that impact their everyday activities, particularly those involving wrist and forearm movements. Rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, stretching, strengthening, and ultrasound are all conservative treatment options for LE, but Myofascial Release Technique (MFR), a soft tissue mobilisation method, has emerged as a promising intervention for LE management. MFR techniques relieve tension in the forearm muscles and fascia, enhancing blood circulation and diminishing inflammation. This may ease symptoms related to tennis elbow, including pain and restricted motion. However, there are considerable differences in the evidence for MFR’s effectiveness in minimising pain and associated symptoms. This systematic review protocol was created to give a mechanism for conducting research to evaluate the efficiency of the MFR in relieving patient discomfort. A comprehensive search of electronic databases, including PubMed and Scopus will be performed to locate studies published up to the current date. Keywords such as “Myofascial Release”, “Lateral Epicondylitis”, “Tennis Elbow” will be used to construct search queries. Following a thorough examination of the titles and abstracts of these studies, along with removal of any duplicates, Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT) will be referred. Non-RCT studies and nonEnglish papers will be excluded. This review will provide analysis of understanding of Myofascial Release and its positive effect in the treatment of LE. All the RCTs demonstrate that in individuals with LE, myofascial release has an important beneficial impact on reducing pain and impairment as well as pain-related symptoms and hand grip. It improves the quality of life of the patients as their pain levels will significantly decrease while doing daily life activities. Although additional studies are required regarding the duration of the technique to be performed.