Investigating the effects of eccentric stretching on pain, grip strength, and functional outcomes in patients with lateral epicondylopathy: a randomized controlled trial

This study demonstrates for the first time that supervised eccentric stretching provides clinically meaningful improvements in strength, function, muscle viscoelastic properties, quality of life beyond conventional physiotherapy alone in chronic LE. These findings suggest that targeting passive tissue mechanics through controlled eccentric elongation may enhance functional recovery even when pain reduction is similar. Eccentric stretching may therefore represent a valuable adjunct strategy when functional restoration rather than pain relief alone is the primary therapeutic goal.