Tennis / golfer’s elbow

Tennis / golfer’s elbow usually gets better on its own with painkillers, anti-inflammatories and rest, which is vital as it enables the tendons to heal. You should seek medical help, however, if your symptoms have lasted longer than six weeks. Ice packs applied for 15 minutes three or four times a day can help to reduce swelling and alleviate pain and you may also want to use tennis elbow clasps or taping to reduce symptoms. Physiotherapy may also help. A physiotherapist will evaluate movements that you perform repetitively as part of your job or sport and can teach you exercises that will help to avoid repetitive wrist motions wherever possible and stretch and strengthen the muscles of your forearm.

You may be offered an injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which uses plasma from your own blood to encourage healing, or dry needling of the damaged tendon to promote healing. Ultrasonic tenotomy inserts a needle into the damaged portion of the tendon using ultrasound guidance. Ultrasonic energy vibrates the needle so swiftly that the damaged tissue liquefies. It is then suctioned out to enable the tendon to heal.

Surgery is very rarely used for tennis elbow although it may be used for other problems around the elbow such as ligament injuries.

Elbow arthroscopy – if your condition hasn’t improved after six to twelve months, you may be offered an elbow arthroscopy. During the procedure, small incisions are made in the skin through which a thin, tube-like instrument called an arthroscope is inserted. Small surgical instruments are used to remove damaged section of tissue. In some cases, this procedure may be performed using open surgery.

Tennis / golfer’s elbow usually gets better on its own with painkillers, anti-inflammatories and rest, which is vital as it enables the tendons to heal. You should seek medical help, however, if your symptoms have lasted longer than six weeks. Ice packs applied for 15 minutes three or four times a day can help to reduce swelling and alleviate pain and you may also want to use tennis elbow clasps or taping to reduce symptoms. Physiotherapy may also help. A physiotherapist will evaluate movements that you perform repetitively as part of your job or sport and can teach you exercises that will help to avoid repetitive wrist motions wherever possible and stretch and strengthen the muscles of your forearm.

You may be offered an injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which uses plasma from your own blood to encourage healing, or dry needling of the damaged tendon to promote healing. Ultrasonic tenotomy inserts a needle into the damaged portion of the tendon using ultrasound guidance. Ultrasonic energy vibrates the needle so swiftly that the damaged tissue liquefies. It is then suctioned out to enable the tendon to heal.

Surgery is very rarely used for tennis elbow although it may be used for other problems around the elbow such as ligament injuries.

Elbow arthroscopy – if your condition hasn’t improved after six to twelve months, you may be offered an elbow arthroscopy. During the procedure, small incisions are made in the skin through which a thin, tube-like instrument called an arthroscope is inserted. Small surgical instruments are used to remove damaged section of tissue. In some cases, this procedure may be performed using open surgery.