title: Lateral epicondylitis: clinical classification and proposal for treatment.
abstract: The authors report their experience in a retrospective study on a sample year (1997) of cases (77 in number) of lateral epicondylitis treated non-surgically at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute. The results for the 63 patients reviewed are very disappointing (healing only in 36.5% of cases). In their opinion, this may be attributed to the lack of an accurate clinical definition of the pathology, and an inadequate treatment protocol. They conclude with the proposal to classify 3 clinical forms for epicondylitis (acute, chronic recurrent, and chronic persistent) and to follow a corresponding treatment protocol, aimed at improving results.
authors.affiliation: Modulo di Chirurgia della Spalla e del Gomito della 1a Divisione, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rotini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Catamo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Noia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magnani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013716:Tennis Elbow / Q000145:classification* / Q000628:therapy*