Tennis Elbow

Surgery

Most cases of tennis elbow are treated without surgery; less than 5% require surgery.³ You and your health professional might consider surgery if several months of tendon rest and rehabilitation haven't stopped pain or returned the flexibility and strength to your forearm.

Consider surgery only if:

• Your elbow is still sore and painful after 6 to 12 months of tendon rest and rehabilitation.
• Your health professional has ruled out other possible causes of elbow pain, such as nerve problems, arthritis, muscle injury, or injury to another tendon.
• Your corticosteroid shots have given good short-term pain relief but the pain has returned.
• You can't do normal daily activities and job tasks because of elbow pain.

During surgery, a doctor will most likely cut (release) the tendon, remove damaged tissue from the tendon, or both. In some cases, tendon tears can be repaired.

After surgery, rehabilitation is necessary to restore flexibility and strength in the forearm.

Should I have surgery to treat tennis elbow?

Surgery Choices

Surgery for tennis elbow involves cutting (releasing) the tendon and removing damaged tissue from the tendon. In some cases, tendon tears are repairable (reattached) if the repair can be done without over tightening the tendon. These procedures are available both arthroscopically and through a larger incision (open surgery), or with a combination of the two techniques.

What To Think About

In general, among people who are identified as needing surgical tennis elbow repair, surgery successfully relieves elbow pain, and people report being happy with the results.¹

There are different approaches to surgery for tennis elbow, such as where to enter the elbow and what type of reconstruction or repair on the tendon is done. Surgical technique is determined by the type, location, and severity of the injury, and by the doctor's preference and experience.

The success of surgery depends in large part on the amount of time and effort you put into a rehabilitation program.

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Author:	Carrie Henley Monica Rhodes	Last Updated: April 6, 2007
Medical Review:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine David Pichora, MD, FRCSC - Orthopedic Surgery
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