Tennis Elbow

Treatment

Treatment options are tailored to each patient to increase the likelihood of complete recovery from tennis elbow. The treatment options include rehabilitation, which may include exercises, motion analysis and straps or braces; medication; open surgery; and arthroscopic (minimally invasive) surgery.

Mayo Clinic is also investigating new treatments for tennis elbow such as topical nitric oxide. When appropriate, patients may be offered these or other treatments being developed.

Rehabilitation

Mayo Clinic's state-of-the-art rehabilitation practice provides patients with various treatment options, including:

• Physical therapy — Body movements or exercises are performed to gradually stretch and strengthen the affected muscles.
• Deep heat therapy — Ultrasound is used to apply heat to the affected arm.
• Motion analysis — The patient's tennis technique, job tasks or other physical activity that may be causing tennis elbow are evaluated and activity modifications are developed to reduce stress and strain on the forearm.
• Straps or braces — Supportive devices may be worn to reduce stress on the injured tissue.
• Recovery from surgery — Patients treated with surgery may undergo physical therapy and patient education about home exercises and ways to prevent tennis elbow from recurring.

Medication

Patients with severe and persistent pain from tennis elbow may benefit from corticosteroids (a form of steroids). The medication, which may be injected into the affected muscles or rubbed onto the skin in the affected area, helps reduce pain, swelling and inflammation. Steroids may be pushed into the deeper tissues of the arm using ultrasound waves or electrical stimulation. However, the medications don't provide a clear long-term benefit over physical therapy.

Surgery

Surgery is considered only for patients who have tried other nonsurgical treatment and have not had pain relief. Approximately one in 10 people with tennis elbow needs surgery. The surgical procedure for tennis elbow involves either trimming the inflamed tendon or surgically releasing and then reattaching the tendon to relieve pain.

Increasingly, Mayo orthopedic surgeons are using minimally invasive surgery, which involves smaller surgical incisions than traditional surgery. Shorter hospital stays and less blood loss are among the many benefits of minimally invasive surgery.