DiyInjuryRehab.com

Tennis Elbow Lateral Epicondylitis Therapy – Should I have an elbow injection?

If recommended by your specialist YES -
BUT in my opinion only after

1. you can fully straighten your elbow
2. you have a good stretch in your extensor muscles
3. you have tried a few weeks of a structured rehab program

AND you still have pain!

Tennis Elbow Injury

It is thought that an Acute Tennis Elbow injury consists of microscopic tears in the attachment of the Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis muscle to the bone.
This tearing results in the stimulation of the repair process which increases collagen production and new blood vessel growth.
This increase in blood vessels may explain the Tennis Elbow symptoms as well as a local increase in temperature.

I also discuss the action of the muscle at the elbow and wrist which contributes to the problem.

Resting your arm will settle the pain in your elbow.
HOWEVER – if you do anything that uses your arm strongly then the problem will return!

This is because rest allows the pain to settle but the repair that takes place is not structurally as good as it could be and it easily breaks down again.

You need to stimulate repair of the degenerated tendon by doing specific exercises in a controlled fashion over the course of several weeks.

This produces an effective repair of the damaged tendon and means that you are much less likely to suffer a recurrence of the problem.