The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical efficacy of dexamethasone-lidocaine (DX-L) phonophoresis on perceived pain associated with symptomatic tendinitis. Twenty-four subjects were randomly assigned to a DX-L or placebo phoresis group. All subjects received strengthening, stretching, and cryotherapy. Five double-blind sessions were administered over a 5- to 10-day period, with 24 to 48 hr between sessions. Perceived pain was quantified using a visual perceived pain scale (VPPS) and a punctate tenderness gauge (PTG). Data were collected before stretching, strengthening, and DX-L/placebo phoresis treatments, 1 min after treatment, and 10 min after cryotherapy. There were no significant differences for VPPS or PTG between groups. There was a significant difference between treatment sessions, regardless of group or test, and there were significant decreases in perceived pain between Tests 1 and 3 and between Treatment Sessions 1 and 5. It was concluded that stretching, strengthening, and cryotherapy significantly decreased the levels of perceived pain associated with symptomatic tendinitis regardless of whether the subjects received phonophoresis.
