What's the best way to get relief from tennis elbow? I'm retired so my job doesn't depend on getting my arm back to normal but I do like to golf, fish, and play tennis.
The best, most effective treatment for lateral epicondylitis, otherwise known as "tennis elbow" remains unknown. Many things have been tried including antiinflammatory drugs, exercise, bracing or splinting, injection therapy, and surgery. Short-term pain relief may be obtained but no long-term benefit has been reported. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a relatively new treatment approach to consider. PRP refers to a sample of serum (blood) plasma that has as much as four times more than the normal amount of platelets and growth factors. This treatment enhances the body’s natural ability to heal itself. PRP is used to improve healing and shorten recovery time from acute and chronic soft tissue injuries. In a recent study from Denmark, the results of three different types of treatment were compared on 60 patients who had lateral epicondylitis. Painful symptoms along the outside of the elbow (and diagnosed as tennis elbow) had been present for more than three months for each person in the study. Twenty patients received a single injection of platelet-rich plasma, 20 received an injection of saline (salt water for a placebo treatment), and 20 people got a steroid injection. Change in pain was the main outcome measured. One surgeon performed all of the procedures. In each case, the physician knew what type of injection was being given but the patients did not. In fact, they were blindfolded during the treatment. Results were measured at three, six, and 12 months after treatment using an ultrasound test of tendon thickness and pain intensity. Function was also evaluated by having the patients fill out a survey called the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE). The authors reported a very high dropout rate from this study in the first three months. The patients said they left the study because the treatment didn't work. At the end of 12 months, only 16 or the original 60 patients were still participating. Their overall findings are summarized below: