Comparison of the Efficacy of Corticosteroid Injection and Dry Needling in Treating Lateral Epicondylitis: An Observational Study

TL;DR

This study compares corticosteroid injections and dry needling for treating elbow pain, finding that injections offer faster relief while dry needling provides better long-term results.

Contribution

The study provides new comparative evidence on the short- and long-term efficacy of corticosteroid injection versus dry needling for lateral epicondylitis.

Findings

Corticosteroid injection provided greater short-term pain relief at 3 weeks.

Dry needling showed superior functional outcomes at 3 months.

Both treatments improved symptoms significantly within their groups.

Abstract

Lateral epicondylitis is a common cause of lateral elbow pain that impairs grip strength and daily activities. While corticosteroid injection offers rapid symptom relief, dry needling is a newer, minimally invasive technique that may enhance tendon healing and provide longer-lasting benefits. This study compared the short- and long-term efficacy of corticosteroid injection and dry needling in improving pain and function in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

This prospective comparative observational study was conducted in the Department of Orthopedics, Shree Birendra Hospital, Kathmandu, from June 2022 to July 2023 after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (Registration number: 492). Sixty-two patients aged I860 years with clinically diagnosed lateral epicondylitis were consecutively assigned to receive either corticosteroid injection (n = 31) or dry needling (n = 31). Pain and function were assessed using the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation questionnaire at baseline, 3 weeks, and 3 months. Intergroup comparisons were made using t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests, and intragroup differences were analyzed with paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Baseline characteristics were comparable. Corticosteroid injection produced greater short-term improvement at 3 weeks (pain 28.23 ± 10.27 vs 41.71 ± 8.93, p < 0.001), while dry needling showed superior outcomes at 3 months (Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation 42.97 ± 16.32 vs 50.45 ± 15.33, p = 0.04). Both interventions achieved significant within-group improvement (p < 0.001).

Corticosteroid injection offers faster initial pain relief, but dry needling yields better long-term functional recovery. Both are effective modalities, with dry needling preferred for sustained management of lateral epicondylitis.

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