Introduction: Lateral epicondylitis of the elbow is the most common cause of elbow pain and dysfunction. It is more common in people who perform repetitive wrist extension movements. The main symptom is pain at the lateral epicondyle of the humerus. Most cases heal spontaneously; a smaller proportion of patients require conservative treatment or, in more severe cases, surgery. Purpose: We reviewed the scientific literature to investigate the effectiveness of eccentric exercises in people with lateral epicondylitis of the elbow. Methods: We searched the PEDro, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Springer Link databases for sources using selected keywords. Results: Six studies were included and analysed in detail. Four studies found a statistically and clinically significant improvement in hand function, a decrease in pain intensity and an increase in muscle capacity in the patient groups treated with eccentric training compared with the other types of training or the control group. In two studies, no significant differences in the efficacy of the compared therapies were found. Conclusions: Eccentric exercise should be used in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis of the elbow, either as a stand-alone therapy or in combination with other physiotherapy methods. The long-term efficacy of eccentric exercise training should be further investigated in the future.
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