Introduction

Epicondylitis or tennis elbow is a common disease of the elbow that has a clear occupational profile, like other upper extremity chronic tendinopathies, and can appear associated with them simultaneously. Deep transverse friction (or Cyriax) has been one of the physiotherapy interventions suggested for the management of tendinopathy. However, the conclusions of the investigations have been inconsistent. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the association between Cyriax treatment and tennis elbow through a meta-analysis.

Material and methods

The PubMed and EBSCO databases were retrieved to collect all publications on the association between Cyriax treatment and epicondylitis.

Results

The literature search consisted of 10 articles (that included 240 cases and 227 controls) for a qualitative analysis and six more (that included 121 cases and 122 controls) for the quantitative one.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis could not support a significant association between Cyriax therapy and epicondylitis. Therefore, it is suggested to implement this physical therapy only as a complementary treatment.