So, you have a stubborn case of Tennis Elbow… When is it 'time' to start thinking about surgery? – Five key things to consider
At some point, after struggling with Tennis Elbow for months or even years – Seeing Doctors, Physical Therapists and other professionals and trying all manner of Tennis Elbow related treatments, tricks and tips – You may eventually have to ask yourself, “Is it time for surgery?”
If you're like most people, however, you regard surgery as a last resort – A serious decision not to be rushed into or taken lightly.
So how do you know when it's time – that you've completely exhausted your more conservative options, and it's time to step aboard the ship to the “last resort” AKA: Scalpel Island?
Here are five important things to consider in your decision:
Table Of Contents (Links jump down the page to various sections of this article.)
- Are you a "good candidate" for Tennis Elbow surgery? – (Is your case of Golfer’s or Tennis Elbow severe enough to warrant surgery?) Are you a good surgical candidate?
- What's the success rate for Tennis Elbow surgery? – (The success rate is fairly high and the failure rate low - but it doesn't always succeed.) What if surgery fails and you're worse off?
- There's a long recovery time – (You'll be facing a significant post-surgical recovery period and months of rehab time) Recovery and rehab time after surgery
- The placebo effect – (Are you aware that even surgery has a well-documented, often significant placebo effect!?) The surgical placebo effect
- Are you SURE you need it? – (Are you sure it's the last resort - you've tried everything and you really need Tennis Elbow surgery?) Is surgery really your last resort?
And then there are several types of surgery to choose from, including: Open surgery vs. closed / Arthroscopic, the new 'Tenex' procedure and the semi-surgical therapies like Platelet-Rich Plasma, Prolotherapy, and Dry Needling / Fenestration, but that's a topic to be covered in another article.
Podcast Episode On The Surgical Question
Here's the downloadable version of this podcast you can keep by clicking the "download" link under the player below - And please subscribe on your favorite platform:
Are You A “Good Candidate” For Surgery?
One of the biggest considerations you're going to face is whether your case of Tennis or Golfer's Elbow is severe enough to warrant surgery.
First of all, your Orthopedic Surgeon should have a clear, strong opinion about whether your injury is surgically repairable or not, based on all the information he or she has.
Of course, you're the ultimate authority on your health. You have to make the decision about having surgery or not and bear the consequences of it, so the more you know going in, the better.
So, what exactly is the criteria which makes you a good, great or poor candidate for surgery?
It's not entirely about how much pain you're in, how debilitating your injury is or how long you've been injured – although, those are the factors you're most familiar with (too familiar with!) and care a great deal about, naturally.
It's ultimately about those factors PLUS the objective measures – As is how much damage the scan of your elbow shows.
In other words, just because you have extreme pain and limited function does not automatically mean you have extreme tendon damage that necessitates surgery…
And, conversely, it's actually possible to have extensive tendon damage and to NOT be in that much pain (Or any pain!) – And to not have much if any strength or mobility limitations.
So, what you really “want” is the combination of a clear diagnosis of significant tendon damage and significant pain and loss of your normal function.
The Diagnosis: What Does The MRI Show?
Depending on the type of surgery you're looking at, you can expect to have either an MRI scan or a Sonogram (Diagnostic Ultrasound) in advance to get a definitive diagnosis.
What your surgeon is looking for is one or several conditions:
- Tendinosis – Which is tendon degeneration. Your tendon is breaking down and not repairing. This is the essence of Tennis Elbow, but there are degrees of severity
- Tendon tearing – Usually the tendon is tearing away from where it attaches to the bone (Lateral or Medial Epicondyle) And, again, there are degrees of severity
- Bone Spurs – In a small percentage of cases bone spurs form where the tendon attaches to the bone
Chances are, if you've had Tennis or Golfer's Elbow for 6 months or longer and haven’t been able to recover from it, you likely have at least some Tendinosis (tendon degeneration.)
But if tendon degeneration is all the MRI scan or Sonogram shows, and it's mild – or even moderate, and not too severe – that alone doesn't make your injury a slam-dunk, obvious case for surgery.
There is still a good chance of recovering from mild or even moderate degeneration / Tendinosis.
However, if the scan shows severe degeneration and / or a tear in your tendon, that's a lot more conclusive evidence for surgery.
Tendon tears are the most serious and persuasive findings.
- First comes chronic muscle tension, which puts excessive load on the tendon,
- That causes the tendon to gradually break down (degenerate) which weakens it,
- And eventually, the weakened tendon tears, in some cases and the longer that persists the worse the tear tends to get.
The truth is, mild or moderate Tendinosis / degeneration can and does heal. (Tendons have to be able to heal otherwise we would be in big trouble!)
At What Point Is The Damage "Too Much" To Recover From?
Tendon degeneration past a certain point of severity, (somewhere in the moderate to severe range) becomes unlikely to heal without drastic intervention - Of course, precisely where that “line of demarcation” lies for you or any individual is very hard to say.
However, it's more cut and dry when it comes to tendon TEARS:
- It's possible for mild tears to heal without surgery,
- But, for moderate tears, the difficulty of healing gets very high.
- Severe tears are impossible to recover from without surgery.
Again, it's up to you, but if all your MRI or Sonogram shows is mild to moderate Tendinosis and no tearing, you may not need surgery and may be able to recover without it.
There are a huge number of other factors to take into consideration, of course, like your age, overall level of health and whether you've had any Cortisone shots. (They are a known risk of weakening the tendon and make recovering a lot more difficult.)
How motivated you are is also a big factor - How hard are you willing to work at it in order to avoid the surgeon's scalpel or Arthroscope?
On the other hand, if your diagnosis includes severe Tendinosis – And especially if it includes a tear, worse still, if that tear is moderate to severe, you may be a very good candidate for surgery.
What's The Success Rate Of Tennis Elbow Surgery?
This surgery has an 80 to 90% success rate, which may sound pretty good...
But that still means a failure rate of 1-2 cases out of 10. (It's difficult to pin down any closer than that, since it's based on statistics.)
No, there's never a guarantee that any treatment or intervention with work in every case, but surgery is also a big investment with a fairly significant wait to find out if it worked.
And one of the big advantages to most conservative approaches to treating Tennis and Golfer's Elbow is that, although they may not work there is no big downside.
Surgery itself is in a category all its own, however. It's a traumatic intervention itself with significant risks.
If your surgical procedure fails to address your injury and restore you to full painless function, there's a good chance you will actually be worse off, unfortunately.
There Is A Significant Post-Surgical Recovery And Rehab Time
Even if your surgery goes entirely according to plan (depending on the type of surgery) you will face a limiting a post-surgical recovery period.
During this recovery period you may be in a restrictive brace or cast that doesn't allow you to bend your elbow, or use your arm or hand for 1 to 2 weeks.
(This is especially true for the classic “gold standard” open surgical procedure, and likely the case after Arthroscopic Surgery.)
Followed by a less restrictive brace that allows elbow movement for a few more weeks, but you'll have to be very careful in how you use your arm to avoid traumatizing your recently repaired and vulnerable tendons.
That's really just the beginning of your healing and rehab, however. After that the real work begins: Rehab exercises.
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Tennis Elbow Surgery?
Surprisingly, after 6 months to a year of pursuing “conservative” measures – including months of rehab exercise – You can still face the prospect of up to 6 more months to a year to fully heal and recover from your Tennis Elbow surgery!
And you may actually experience mild soreness for 3 to 6 months.
Then, at some point after your initial post-surgical recovery, (3-6 weeks?) you'll need to begin a course of rehab exercises.
No matter how long and hard you tried to recover with exercises before surgery, you basically have to start all over again, as if from scratch – and continue exercising diligently for 3-6 months, minimum.
And to top it off, you may need to do those rehab exercises for as long as a year.
(Not that there's any way to complete avoid rehab exercises when you have Golfer's or Tennis Elbow – Exercise is an essential part of making a full recovery. And it never hurts to go into surgery with strong muscles rather than being in a weakened, de-conditioned state.)
Now, none of this is necessarily such a terrible imposition – IF it works, right!?...
But, the fact is, you will have to undergo all these inconveniences, including the surgery itself and months of rehab before you know if it was a complete success, a modest improvement or a dismal failure.
And as we already covered, surgery doesn't always work.
How long will you have to wait and do rehab exercises before you know if you're recovering or not?
That's difficult to say, but be prepared to put in 3 to 4 months of rehab before you start to conclude it's not getting better and you want to give up.
Even Surgery Is Known To Have A Placebo Effect!
Ian Harris, an Australian Orthopedic Surgeon, Professor and Author has confessed to performing surgery "that doesn't work" in response to pressure from patients and other factors, in his book, 'Surgery, The Ultimate Placebo'
One of the dozen plus surgeries Surgeon Ian Harris criticizes is for Tennis Elbow - In his opinion, it's:"Another...
Posted by Tennis Elbow Classroom on Thursday, March 10, 2016
...
One of the dozen or more surgeries he specifically criticizes is that for Tennis Elbow. In his opinion, surgery for Lateral Epicondylitis / Tennis Elbow is:
"Another procedure that is in decline. The condition largely gets better over time and surgery doesn't add anything to that process."
A recent medical study from 2012 lends credence to Dr. Harris' claims - especially when it comes to surgery for Tennis Elbow.
This looks to be the first time a study was done to compare the standard Tennis Elbow surgical procedure against the placebo effect by giving a "fake" / sham surgery to the control group.
The surprising result was that a "fake" placebo procedure performed no better than a genuine Tennis Elbow surgery!
Here's the kicker: Both groups actually improved - (The control group apparently only because of the placebo effect)…
The key takeaway, however, is that the group which received the real surgery didn't end up doing any better – and were in more pain at the 2-week mark because of the surgery!
Are You SURE It's The Last Resort And You Really Need A Procedure?
The ultimate question: Are you sure it's your last resort, you've done everything you possibly could to treat your Tennis or Golfer's Elbow conservatively?
And even if you believe you do need it, are you prepared for the hassles, risks and inconveniences of surgery?
(Not to mention the long recovery and rehab time.)
It gets a lot easier to decide, of course, if you have an MRI and it shows severe Tendinosis (degeneration) and/or a moderate to severe tear in your tendon, and all logic suggests you're not going to be able to heal that damage without surgery to remove the damaged tendon and repair it.
AND you have severe or persistent pain or weakness and it's interfering with your work, hobbies or sport – generally making your life miserable, so you just can't live with it.
But what if you're on the “border line,” so to speak?
Your MRI is not conclusive; the damage is mild to moderate and you have no significant tendon tearing…
And your pain is manageable – and although it's a nuisance – it's not terribly debilitating…
You could consider Platelet-Rich Plasma injections. That's still a kind of surgery, but it's a lot less invasive and has a much shorter recovery period.
But I would ask you, have you had any therapy that's designed to treat what I believe is the root of the problem? (at least locally in your forearm)
Have You Treated The Root Causes Of Your Tennis Or Golfer’s Elbow?
- Chronic muscle tension in your Wrist Extensor Muscles, (if you have Tennis Elbow) or in your Flexor Muscles (if Golfer's Elbow)
- Deep, sticky adhesions in those muscles (which shorten and restrict them, putting an excessive load on the tendon)
- And the degeneration and Scar Tissue in your tendon(s) which weakens them and causes the worst of the pain.
The VAST majority of treatments, therapies, remedies and so-called cures do not treat and address these muscle and tendon “root issues” – At least not with any efficiency.
You might assume before going into Physical Therapy / Physiotherapy that the therapist will do some actual 'Manual Therapy' (hands-on manipulation therapy of your muscles and tendons)
But it's rare (at least in the United States – Europe may be different) to receive anything more that a token “rub” for a few minutes – if that.
Most of the emphasis is on insurance-billable but clinically-unproven tech, like E-stim, Ultrasound, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy and various forms of Cryotherapy (icing) - and on the rehab exercises you're assigned and have to do on your own, anyway.
None of this has any significant effect on muscular adhesions, Scar Tissue and tendon degeneration, in my opinion and experience.
(And any potential marginal benefit must be weighed against your cost – As in the time, travel, inconvenience and cost of repeated trips to the PT clinic to receive these treatments.)
Before deciding that you've “tried everything,” giving up and scheduling surgery – (especially if you're on that borderline, diagnostically)…
I would recommend going to see a practitioner like myself who specializes in manipulating muscles and tendons – and actually treats these root causes.
But to be honest, that can be rather expensive, so one other alternative – Especially if you're highly motivated to avoid surgery, is my self-help program.
The cost is minimal, there's a solid guarantee, there's almost no downside (unlike the risks associated with surgery) and it's something you can do at home without going anywhere - And put as much energy into as you're motivated to.
(Which, to be clear and upfront, may be a lot - if have some moderate tendon damage and you're "on the verge" of surgery, but want to avoid it if at all possible!)
Learn more about the programs below:
Learn To Treat And Heal Your Own Tennis Elbow Or Golfer's Elbow At Home With This Video Program
You'll get instant access to a complete VIDEO program designed by a professional therapist to help you take charge and break your vicious cycle of pain and frustration!...I'll be your personal tutor guiding you through step-by-step video lessons, where you'll get the therapy techniques, key stretches and essential exercises you need to treat and recover from your injury at home. (Without any special equipment.)
Just watch the videos, follow along and start putting an end to your elbow pain today, whether you have Golfer's or Tennis Elbow from playing your guitar - or other stringed instrument or ANY instrument, for that matter!)
Tennis Elbow sufferers: Learn more about the Tennis Elbow program here
Golfer's Elbow sufferers: Learn more about the Golfer's Elbow program here
Great article as always!
Dear Allen:
RE: SURGERY: WHEN IS IT TIME? I rarely respond to circulars, but on this occasion feel I must. In my case I escaped a cycle of progressively worsening tennis elbow (which was impacting my job as a golf writer) … the escape route was SURGERY ….. quick, painless and highly effective. After 4 yrs of massage, arm braces, electric pulse treatments, hyaluronic acid injections, cortisone injections (twice), hundreds of physio sessions, long periods of rest and trying all your various massage techniques …. a friend who had surgery on his tennis elbow strongly advised I do the same. I found an excellent London-based surgeon who specialises in wrists, elbows and shoulders. Result (after an MRI scan and surgery) ….. I have no more tennis elbow, and enjoy pain-free golf. Since the surgery I’ve recommended this route to friends … none have regretted it. In fact all were left wondering why they waited so long.
During all my treatments I was routinely told to regard surgery as a “treatment of absolute last resort” to be entered into at your “dire peril”. The advice scared me away from surgery and severely delayed the one effective treatment for my condition. After the surgical intervention and a four month recovery period, I was fully recovered and have had no recurrence of the tennis elbow over the last three years.
As far as golfers are concerned, one serious piece of advice you should disseminate is NEVER, NEVER, NEVER practice on hard golf mats (as found on many driving ranges). No matter how much you want to improve your game, practicing on hard mats is, in my experience (and that of many others), the fastest way to tennis elbow for a golfer.
Yours sincerely …… Nigel Butler (golf writer)
Thank you for sharing all of that, Nigel! – Especially the warning to golfers about the hard mats on driving ranges. Much appreciated.
Yes, sometimes surgery is going to be the way to go and some people might be a lot better off if they could come to that conclusion sooner – Some, however, will still want to avoid surgery at all costs.
Some years ago I had a very wealthy business man (and an avid if not obsessed golfer) patient who had Tennis Elbow, and was told, based on an MRI scan, that he had a moderate tendon tear and would be a very good candidate for surgery.
Money was no object for him but he spent a great deal of time driving back and forth from the Silicon Valley area to my practice (1 hour each way) to receive at least a dozen treatments (healing a moderate tear takes a lot) and was very happy to successfully recover without surgery.
(And I believe he even kept playing golf throughout the recovery period, as that was his priority – even if it extended the recovery time and increased the risk of worsening the tear.)
I think it’s very important to be very clear with oneself about what one’s priorities are.
Who is the London surgeon?
I, myself, have been dealing with tennis and golfers elbow on the left arm for 4 mths. The ligaments are thinning on both sides. I’ve done prednisone, Cordisone shots, and 21 sessions of therapy. Pain going down the arm, numbness and tingling, discoloration to the hand. At times the pain goes over the shoulder. I hope when I go to the orthopedic, he will get a conclusion fast. Pain hurts
That sounds terrible, Anita. All the best to you in your recovery!
can the do surgery on my elbow a second time? Im having problems with it again or what is the next step?
Jodi, if the first surgery failed, why would you have another? Did you have an MRI first? If so, how bad was the damage? (I don’t know which type of surgery you had, but I’ve read that sometimes with an Arthroscopic procedure, they don’t really see all the damage and don’t do as thorough a job as with what they call an “open” surgery, involving a full incision “opening” up the skin with a scalpel – The “old school” way.)
I’m also in the same boat, I had arthroscopic surgery 5/2015 and continue to have pain. I’ve been going to pain management for almost a year now, also with minimal improvement. I’ve had 2 PRP injections and prolotherapy twice between PRP injections. Just yesterday I had cervical epidural steroid injection. I feel like I’m running out of options. Any suggestions on what to do next if steroid doesn’t work?
Hi Heather, That sounds extreme. (The epidural) I’m sorry to hear your surgery didn’t help. I have to be careful about what kind of suggestions I offer, though. It sounds like you need very careful, thoughtful, expert advice from someone who can personally assess your case (which I can’t do, unfortunately.)
I have had tennis elbow surgery 10 years ago the last 6 to 8 months i must use a pillow to rest my elbow on resting it on hard service painfull after work i rest it on pillow.what should be done
Thank
I have been dealing with what drs say is tennis elbow for 7 months now. I am a stay at home mom to 3 children under 3. I have tried ice, heat, cortisone injection, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory meds and a strap. Nothing is helping. I am in unbearable pain each day. I can’t grip, lift, or straighten my arm. It shakes so much when I try to stretch it out. My ortho dr doesn’t think I need an MRI yet but I am fed up with it. Should I try to seek treatment elsewhere or urge the Dr to do an MRI? I can’t continue to be in pain to the point where I cry it is so bad.
I’m sorry to hear you’re in so much pain, Mary. It must be incredibly difficult trying to manage that with three kids under 3 – Wow! Hang in there.
I hope hope you’ve been able to spend some time on this site learning about Tennis Elbow – Especially about why most of those “treatments” you mentioned don’t address the root cause and may even make it worse (cortisone and the anti’s, in particular.) But I don’t imagine you have a lot of free time!
I can’t say whether it’s time to press for an MRI or not at this time. That has to be your call.
Mary I’m not a doctor but I say you need a MRI like yesterday. How can your doctor advise you if he doesn’t know what the extent of the damage is? Maybe it’s time for a new doctor.
Report:
Heterogeneous echotexture of the common extensor tendon origin with increased vascularity and
an intrasubstance tear which was measured at 6 x 2.8 x 2.2 mm.
Associated tenderness over the common extensor tendon origin.
Unremarkable ultrasonographic appearances of the remainder of the left elbow.
Impression:
Evidence of florid tendinosis of the common extensor tendon origin associated with a sizeable
intrasubstance tear at the deep aspect of the common extensor tendon origin. Hi I’m currently awaiting my appointment with orthopaedic surgeon but could you please explain to me what the report is saying?
Regards Kerri
I have been struggling with elbow pain on and off for 5 years and have had multiple steroid injections. I had an MRI of my elbow about 6 months ago, after my elbow had an increase in swelling, and it showed complete disruption of the radial collateral ligament and avulsion of the common flexor tendon.
My pain, at that time, had actually decreased so the physician said that the inflamed ligament and tendon released itself. Now, 6 months later, I am having pain and swelling again.
Is it likely the same tendon and ligament issues like scar tissue or do thy now need to be reattached? Or could it be a new issue? Thanks so much, Anna
Hi Anna, I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been in pain on and off for 5 years.
It sounds like you have significant damage – The kind that is often surgically correctable. You had an Avulsion Fracture? That’s pretty serious!
I don’t understand what the doctor means by “released itself” though – A tendon tearing away from the bone and taking a piece of the bone with it doesn’t sound like a release. It sounds like a big rip that has little chance of healing.
I would say there’s a very good chance your pain is from the same issue. Was that physician you mentioned a surgeon? I think I would be consulting with an Orthopedic Surgeon at this point if I were you. All the best!
I injured my shoulder and elbow from a fall 18 months ago. Had months of PT and then Supra surgerical repair on shoulder then more PT for it. My elbow never had time to just rest. I have had four PRP in the elbow during this time. Recently had few PT on elbow but only more inflammation from it. Please help me to decide if I should have elbow repair now. My Ortho thinks so
Hello, Dy. I’m sorry to hear about your shoulder and elbow injuries. And I’m sorry, I can’t give you direct medical advice – but I wish you all the best and hope the article and video were helpful to you in your education and decision-making process.
My mri just came back with a finding of a moderate to high grade partial tear of the common extensor tendon.I have a physical job and am very active,including lifting weights.In your opinion,do you think i could try your program,work around the injury,and try prp therapy and have it heal ,or should I get surgery.Thanks for any input in advance.
I have had tennis elbow for about 3 years now and am always in a lot of pain. I’ve had 3 cortisone shots and a plasma transfusion. And my elbow is still in excruciating pain. My doctor told me straight up “this is just something you’re going to have to live with for the rest of your life”. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I absolutely cannot accept that. He said that he will send me to a specialist, but that he will tell me the exact same thing. There has to be something else. They never took any x-rays nor an MRI. He also said that surgery is only a 50/50 chance. I can’t believe that either. Do you have any advise on what to do next? Is surgery a good option? I just can’t help but think that we can put a man on the moon, but can’t heal an elbow.
Thank you so much.
Hi Jacob,
I have to say, I don’t like the sound of your Doctor!
In my opinion, when they say “this is just something you’re going to have to live with for the rest of your life” they often have no actual idea whether this is true or not.
I think the truth is often that they don’t know, and they don’t have any answers, but their arrogance forces them to think that if they don’t have the solution for you – no one does – and, therefore, you will continue to suffer.
It’s one thing for a Neurologist to tell someone with a severe, paralyzing spinal cord injury that they will never walk again – quite another for an MD to tell a Tennis Elbow sufferer that they will “just have to live with it”
I’ve personally helped many people who have had it longer than you, (in my practice) and there is someone in my member’s forum that has been suffering for 10 YEARS! (but who is finally getting better thanks to their dedicated, diligent use of my self-help program.)
What I’m concerned most about, when it comes to your situation, is the fact that you’ve had three Cortisone Shots, and that, in my experience, is the most damaging thing you can do. (2 is bad enough but 3 is terrible)
Here’s my article on Cortisone
As far as surgery goes, we don’t have any idea whether you really need it or not (without an MRI – or at least a Sonogram) Maybe you have a lot of damage, possibly including a tear – maybe not.
But if you ARE a good candidate for surgery, I think the success rate is a hell of a lot better that 50%
My advice may sound self serving, but have you considered purchasing my program?
(If I were you, I might try and push for a Sonogram / Diagnostic Ultrasound (link to my post on that) to try and get some objective idea of what shape the tendon is in.)
Hello. Ive dealt with tennis elbow for 4 yrs. Had a total of 4 cortisone injections. Finally haf surgery on may 7th. No pain yet, arm is weak and forearm still numb.
My question is, can i take off the ocl splint now and just wear sling?? Follow up appt is may 22nd. Incision looks great
Sorry I didn’t get back to you in time, Melessa! (But I would have answered that that’s a question for your Surgeon, Doctor or Physical Therapist to answer, anyway.) I hope you’re recovering well, now, though!
I have had extreme pain in my right elbow for close to 6 months now with no relief. It is impossible to extend my arm and pickup or squeeze anything. I’m confident its tennis elbow but I hate going to the doctor especially when they just say rest it or take this.. I’ve rested my elbow repeatedly and already take anti-inflammatory medication for RA. Nothing seems to help! Any suggestions?
Along the lines of surgery, what are your thoughts on the Tenex procedure for removing scar tissue that has been out for several years now?
Tenex is billed as a “Minimally Invasive” surgery with a faster recovery / rehab time, as I recall off the top of my head. Sounds great! But is it considered a proven procedure that insurance covers – or is it still considered “experimental” and not covered, like PRP? (I guess it’s time to do a post on it!)
Thanks for getting back with me. I did visit with a Dr. who does the procedure and he said it was covered by insurance these days. There were only 5 doctors in my general area (Cincinnati) who do the technique though. He looked at my MRI and used ultrasound imaging but was hesitant because of a high grade tear in the tendon. He said I was a borderline candidate and he wasn’t sure it would work for me. If he were to do it, he’d also do PRP as well. He referred me to a surgeon who also is familiar with Tenex to take a look due to the tear to see if Tenex would work.
Have already seen a non-Tenex surgeon and will go the surgery route as conservative treatments haven’t done the job and am going on 7 months.
The Tenex does seem almost too good to be true and would go that route if I was an ideal candidate. The Dr said it would only take about 2 minutes to clear out my scar tissue and wouldn’t have to be put under. Although regular surgery could be better as they can clearly see the all the scar tissue as well as potentially anything else that could be wrong. With Tenex and ultrasound I would think they could potentially leave some scar tissue behind, but that’s just my own laymen’s opinion.
Hey there,I have been diagnosed with tendonosis in my glutinous medious tendon with fluid around it as well. But I cannot seem to find too much information on it to be able to help myself. Is it similar to tennis elbow?
That’s probably because it’s not a very common issue (at least I don’t think it is) It may be similar in principle to Tennis Elbow if it’s truly Tendinosis. Tough area to self treat, though, unfortunately. I would try to find a good Bodyworker, if I were you.
I have a severe tear in the ligaments for tennis elbow. Plus I have a bone spur that seems to have broken off and embedded in the ligament with another small boney material. Plus I have arthritis since I’m 69. I love to play golf and obviously I can’t play now.
I have done all the normal stuff, cortisone, brace, PT exercises etc. now I have been resting my left elbow for 6 months but still hurts.
Am I a candidate for open surgery.
Sorry I didn’t get back to you in time. I am not the one to evaluate your case, any way. What did you decide to do?
Hello, I had tennis elbow surgery January 2024.
After suffering from pain 2years, tried PrP and cortisone.
Surgery was my last option. It is now 3months post op and I have a severe tightness pain on my forearm and struggle to pick up something as heavy as a water bottle. I am getting fisio with strenght excercises but the pain is going nowhere. Surgeon say it is only scar tissue but I am worried.. will it subside or what is my options
I am from South Africa