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Tennis elbow
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Tennis elbow at HCA UK
Why choose us?
We specialise in treating tennis elbow and offer the latest diagnostics, targeted therapies and personalised treatment plans to support your recovery. With 97% of patients likely to recommend us, you’ll gain peace of mind that you’re in trusted hands. Whether your goal is to get back on the court or to regain everyday comfort, our shoulder and elbow specialists are here to help.
Watch our video to hear Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Omar Haddo, describe how tennis elbow can affect your movement and daily activity.
Watch our video to hear Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Omar Haddo, describe how tennis elbow can affect your movement and daily activity.
Tennis elbow, clinically known as lateral epicondylitis, is a common overuse or strain injury causing pain on the outside of the elbow. It's often confused with golfer's elbow, which refers to medial epicondylitis (on the inside of the joint).
Despite its name, you can develop tennis elbow from any activity where repetitive movement of the forearm fatigues the muscles and overloads the tendons around the joint. This is why people who play racket sports are more susceptible, just as professionals who rely on hand tools or repeat the same motions are as well.
Despite its name, you can develop tennis elbow from any activity where repetitive movement of the forearm fatigues the muscles and overloads the tendons around the joint. This is why people who play racket sports are more susceptible, just as professionals who rely on hand tools or repeat the same motions are as well.
The pain from tennis elbow usually stems from inflammation of the tendons that connect your forearm muscles to a bone structure at the base of your upper arm bone (humerus).
Although it is possible for the condition to heal naturally, repeated strain without treatment can worsen symptoms over time. The most serious cases result in microscopic tears of the tendon as overuse pulls fibres away from the bone, needing much longer and more drastic measures to recover.
Although it is possible for the condition to heal naturally, repeated strain without treatment can worsen symptoms over time. The most serious cases result in microscopic tears of the tendon as overuse pulls fibres away from the bone, needing much longer and more drastic measures to recover.
The symptoms of tennis elbow can vary depending on the severity of the condition and the duration of the issue. Some people find that the symptoms of tennis elbow worsen at night and often cause increased pain over time.
Avoiding treatment and continuing to strain the tendons around your elbow can result in further damage, more discomfort and a much longer recovery period. Some of the most common signs include:
Avoiding treatment and continuing to strain the tendons around your elbow can result in further damage, more discomfort and a much longer recovery period. Some of the most common signs include:
- Pain on the outside of the elbow, sometimes extending down into the forearm and wrist
- Stiffness and pain when fully extending your arm
- Swelling around the outside of the elbow, often making it tender to touch
- Difficulty or discomfort twisting your forearm and wrist, such as when opening a jar or turning a doorknob
- Weaker grip than usual
Tennis elbow isn't just a sports injury, as the name suggests. Lateral epicondylitis can develop in anyone who repeatedly strains their forearm muscles or overloads them in sharp bursts.
Repetitive movements of your forearm can quickly fatigue its relatively small muscles. When this happens, the tendons connecting your muscles to the lateral epicondyle (the bony bump on the outside of your elbow) take more of the strain. If they become consistently overloaded, this can cause inflammation, pain and eventually tearing of the tendon.
Tendons are tough, cord-like tissues which move our limbs as the muscles they're connected to contract and relax. They're also important to absorb the various impacts and strains of movement. However, overloading tendons can strain the fibres and eventually tear them. Both medial and lateral epicondylitis are forms of tendonitis.
The tendon most likely responsible for tennis elbow symptoms is the one attached to the extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle, but any of the four muscles in the forearm could be affected by repetitive strain and lead to tendon damage.
Repetitive movements of your forearm can quickly fatigue its relatively small muscles. When this happens, the tendons connecting your muscles to the lateral epicondyle (the bony bump on the outside of your elbow) take more of the strain. If they become consistently overloaded, this can cause inflammation, pain and eventually tearing of the tendon.
Tendons are tough, cord-like tissues which move our limbs as the muscles they're connected to contract and relax. They're also important to absorb the various impacts and strains of movement. However, overloading tendons can strain the fibres and eventually tear them. Both medial and lateral epicondylitis are forms of tendonitis.
The tendon most likely responsible for tennis elbow symptoms is the one attached to the extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle, but any of the four muscles in the forearm could be affected by repetitive strain and lead to tendon damage.
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Tennis elbow tests and scans at HCA UK
Expert diagnostics to get you back to pain-free movement
Your consultant will first assess your medical history and discuss your symptoms with you. A physical examination, which checks for swelling, stiffness and any pain around the elbow joint during movement, should provide much of the information needed to diagnose tennis elbow, if that is the issue.
In some cases, additional testing may be necessary to rule out nerve damage, arthritis or fractures that could be causing the pain. This may include:
In some cases, additional testing may be necessary to rule out nerve damage, arthritis or fractures that could be causing the pain. This may include:
Tennis elbow treatments at HCA UK
Personalised care for lasting relief from tennis elbow
Living with lateral epicondylitis can make it more difficult and painful to carry out everyday tasks. It may even impact your ability to work and relax, so finding the best relief for tennis elbow is crucial.
The condition can improve on its own with sufficient rest. However, treatments may help speed up the recovery process or aid in healing the damage if it's not occurring naturally.
The condition can improve on its own with sufficient rest. However, treatments may help speed up the recovery process or aid in healing the damage if it's not occurring naturally.
- Non-surgical treatments, such as elbow supports and braces
- Steroid and PRP injections
- Shockwave therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Surgical lateral epicondylitis, such as tennis elbow release
- Elbow arthroscopy
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And to give you peace of mind from the start, we’ll offer you a clear and transparent quote outlining exactly what treatments you’re paying for.
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Tennis elbow FAQs
While surgery may be necessary in some cases, it's not always required. Tennis elbow can improve on its own with rest and compression or through non-surgical treatments. Your consultant will review your condition and tailor a treatment plan just for you.
Our shoulder and elbow consultants will first suggest non-surgical treatments for tennis elbow. These are often effective in the earlier stages of the condition and in less severe cases. We offer the following non-surgical treatments for tennis elbow:
- Avoid strenuous activities: It's best to take a break from the activities that caused your tennis elbow and any that continue to aggravate it. This will give tendons time to recover and prevent further damage.
- Rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE): This method is used to treat a range of musculoskeletal conditions. These steps should help to reduce inflammation of the tendons and promote healing.
- Over-the-counter medication: Painkillers such as paracetamol can help to relieve any pain and discomfort caused by tennis elbow, and ibuprofen can reduce swelling to ease the pressure on your tendons and elbow joint. Ibuprofen is available in tablet or topical cream and gel forms, depending on your preference.
- Elbow supports and braces: A dedicated strapping, brace or splint, called an orthosis, can be effective in compressing the elbow and supporting the joint to reduce any further strain on the surrounding tendons.
- Steroid or PRP injections: If treatments like the above haven't worked, some people are given injections of cortisone (steroids) or platelet rich plasma (PRP). Steroids reduce inflammation to promote healing, while PRP supports the body in repairing damaged tissue. These may need to be given with a local anaesthetic.
- Shockwave therapy: This type of treatment involves high-energy shockwaves being sent through the skin to target damaged tissue. It can be effective in relieving pain and stimulating healing.
Physical therapy may be recommended by shoulder and elbow consultants as an effective treatment for chronic lateral epicondylitis. It's more common in cases where symptoms have persisted for a long time or the pain is more severe.
With the support of a physiotherapy specialist, you'll learn how to strengthen the muscles in your forearm to ease the burden on your tendons and gradually restore movement and flexibility around the elbow. This is typically achieved with a range of stretching and strength exercises.
Physiotherapy treatment for tennis elbow may also include manual techniques such as massage.
With the support of a physiotherapy specialist, you'll learn how to strengthen the muscles in your forearm to ease the burden on your tendons and gradually restore movement and flexibility around the elbow. This is typically achieved with a range of stretching and strength exercises.
Physiotherapy treatment for tennis elbow may also include manual techniques such as massage.
If physiotherapy and other non-surgical treatments are unsuccessful in restoring pain-free movement to your joint, your consultant may recommend tennis elbow release.
Elbow arthroscopy (a type of keyhole surgery) or open surgery is a procedure that gives your surgeon better access to the joint and surrounding tendons. Your consultant will discuss the type of anaesthetic you'll be placed under, with there being pros and cons to both local and general anaesthetics.
For elbow arthroscopy, you may only need a local anaesthetic. This means you'll be awake during the surgery, but you won't feel any pain and you'll avoid the side effects that can accompany general anaesthesia, such as nausea.
Your surgeon will make small incisions on both sides of the elbow and insert a tiny surgical camera to assess the damage likely causing your pain and take the necessary steps, such as removing a bone spur or cutting and removing damaged muscles and tendons to promote healthy regrowth.
If open surgery is needed, your surgeon will make a cut on the outside of your elbow. Once the lateral epicondyle and the surrounding tendons have been exposed, the surgeon will assess the damage and make repairs or remove any bone, tendon or muscle that is preventing healing.
Your consultant will discuss everything related to the surgery during an appointment and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Most tennis elbow release procedures are day cases, so you won't have to stay overnight. However, arranging someone to take you home after your surgery is advised.
Following your operation, it'll take several weeks to make a full recovery. Your consultant will outline any ongoing physiotherapy exercises to help restore your strength and movement.
Elbow arthroscopy (a type of keyhole surgery) or open surgery is a procedure that gives your surgeon better access to the joint and surrounding tendons. Your consultant will discuss the type of anaesthetic you'll be placed under, with there being pros and cons to both local and general anaesthetics.
For elbow arthroscopy, you may only need a local anaesthetic. This means you'll be awake during the surgery, but you won't feel any pain and you'll avoid the side effects that can accompany general anaesthesia, such as nausea.
Your surgeon will make small incisions on both sides of the elbow and insert a tiny surgical camera to assess the damage likely causing your pain and take the necessary steps, such as removing a bone spur or cutting and removing damaged muscles and tendons to promote healthy regrowth.
If open surgery is needed, your surgeon will make a cut on the outside of your elbow. Once the lateral epicondyle and the surrounding tendons have been exposed, the surgeon will assess the damage and make repairs or remove any bone, tendon or muscle that is preventing healing.
Your consultant will discuss everything related to the surgery during an appointment and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Most tennis elbow release procedures are day cases, so you won't have to stay overnight. However, arranging someone to take you home after your surgery is advised.
Following your operation, it'll take several weeks to make a full recovery. Your consultant will outline any ongoing physiotherapy exercises to help restore your strength and movement.
There are ways to prevent tennis elbow from developing or to stop it from reappearing after successful treatment, including:
- Improve form and technique: Whichever activity or movement is causing tennis elbow, your form and technique play a significant role in your chances of developing an injury. For sports-related conditions, a coach can help improve your form, such as in tennis or squash. For work-related injuries, consider how you carry out your job and what steps you can take to protect yourself from strain.
- Strength and conditioning: Enhance the strength and endurance of your muscles to alleviate the strain on tendons during periods of fatigue. Consistent strength training and targeted exercises for the forearm muscles should help prevent tennis elbow in the long term.
- Warm-ups and stretching: Overloading can happen in an instant, so warming up and stretching before any physical activity involving your forearm and elbow can help prevent straining and painful symptoms from emerging.
- Use the right equipment: Sports equipment, such as tennis rackets, should be the right size and type for your activity. Playing with the wrong size can strain certain parts of your arm and body, increasing the risk of developing tennis elbow.
By getting in touch with one of our orthopaedic experts, you will receive the best treatment options for your tennis elbow troubles.
You can make an appointment with one of our experienced tennis elbow specialists by using the link below to choose your consultant and book with them directly or you can or call us on 020 3214 3424.
You can make an appointment with one of our experienced tennis elbow specialists by using the link below to choose your consultant and book with them directly or you can or call us on 020 3214 3424.
Our patient stories
An Olympian effort: Chris’ fast-track to recovery
When Chris was told the surgery he needed on his shoulder would likely make him unable to compete professionally in 2023, Chris dug deep into those reserves and hoped he could excel once more.
“When I called him, I expected to have to wait months. But he invited me back down the next day. It was the quickest I'd ever seen a consultant.”
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