Researchers in Tehran have been studying the use of Botulinum toxin as a treatment for lateral epicondylitis, a condition commonly known as “tennis elbow.”
The study is published in the latest issue of the journal of the Canadian Medical Association. At the Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex in Tehran, a randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted with 48 patients. They were injected with either Botox or saline, the placebo. Injection sites were customized for each patient’s anatomy.
When Botox injections were performed with anatomic measurements as a guide, they “significantly reduced pain at rest in patients with chronic refractory lateral epicondylitis.” However, doctors caution that because of side effects, the treatment may not be appropriate for patients who require finger extension.