Table 5 Subgroup analyses related to determining the effect of ESWT on mean pain in patients with Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)

LE

Age

≤ 45

14

0.04 (-0.96, 1.03)

79.80%

44.75

0.0001

> 45

41

-0.86 (-1.41, -0.31)

79.01%

38.22

0.0001

2.47

0.120

BMI

≤ 27

21

-0.72 (-1.32, -0.12)

59.90%

47.68

0.0001

> 27

14

-1.12 (-1.69, -0.54)

68.37%

22.47

0.0001

2.47

0.250

Type of LE

Chronic

12

-1.02 (-2.22, -0.18)

89.72%

59.84

0.0001

Non- chronic

43

-0.54 (-1.02, -0.05)

55.55%

24.53

0.0001

0.54

0.460

Sessions

< 5 weeks

49

-0.76 (-1.39, -0.14)

79.97%

66.81

0.0001

≥ 5 weeks

6

-1.12 (-4.16, -0.02)

86.99%

87.32

0.0001

0.16

0.001

HZ

< 15

45

-1.38 (-2.06, -0.70)

41.49%

16.09

0.097

≥ 15

9

1.35 (-0.36, 3.07)

68.49%

69.91

0.0001

8.45

0.0001

Plus

≤ 2000

52

-0.49 (-1.19, -0.04)

67.89%

49.49

0.0001

< 2000

3

-3.54 (-5.54, -1.55)

79.59%

57.28

0.0001

8.02

0.0001

Follow up

< 5 weeks

22

-0.45 (-1.58, -0.04)

98.65%

88.99

0.001

5–10 weeks

11

-1.60 (-3.26, -0.05)

78.36%

56.11

0.001

1.86

0.600

10–15 weeks

15

-0.36 (-1.06, -0.24)

96.07%

57.21

0.001

15–20 weeks

0

-

-

-

-

> 20

7

-1.87 (-3.61, -0.23)

69.56%

73.43

0.001

Type of ESWT

Radial

13

-0.49 (-1.27, -0.09)

88.99%

50.31

0.001

Focused

7

-1.48 (-3.10, -0.14)

87.03%

49.04

0.001

1.21

0.550

Not determined

35

-0.55 (-1.57, 0.44)

91.34%

38.9

0.001

Type of comparisons

CSI

2

-1.19 (-3.55, -0.38)

77.12%

23.67

0.001

Exercise

5

-0.34 (-1.03, -0.03)

0.00%

1.22

0.56

6.20

0.403

KT

6

0.57 (-2.19, 3.33)

89.04%

73.4

0.001

PBMT

4

0.05 (-0.40, 0.50)

56.39%

6.88

0.083

Placebo

25

-0.77 (-1.78, -0.25)

63.29%

13.79

0.001

US

10

-1.94 (-4.24, -0.36)

88.79%

40.67

0.001

WES

3

-0.21 (-0.49, -0.06)

0.00%

1.15

0.566