Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
Tennis elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) is a condition caused by swelling of the tendons that connect the forearm to the outer side of the elbow. The swelling ultimately damages the muscles and tendons from using them over and over again. That is why tennis elbow is an overuse injury. Pain is often experienced on the outer side of the elbow, and the condition can be extremely painful.
While playing tennis regularly can result in this condition, most patients treated for this condition don’t play tennis. Repetitive activities cause the tendons to get overworked, causing small tears.
To prevent this type of overuse injury, you simply have to not overuse it. If you start to have pain in the lateral side of the elbow (tennis elbow), the best way to try to avoid the pain is to do things with the palm-up position. By putting your palm up, you transfer the forces from the hand to the medial side of the elbow.
Your physician will work with you to determine the best possible approach to your care.

Conservative, Nonsurgical Treatments
Patients with tennis elbow are best treated non-operatively. Depending upon the nature and extent of the inflammation, there are many treatment options available which are successful in 80% to 90% of tennis elbow cases.
- RELAXATION. Stop the activities that are causing the pain. Your pain is telling you to rest the muscles by taking a timeout from using it. You will need to take a break from taking part in sports as well as refraining from heavyweight activities.
- ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATIONS. Either over-the-counter (Ibuprofen and aspirin) or prescription anti-inflammatory medications can reduce swelling and pain.
- EQUIPMENT INSPECTION. If you use a tennis racquet regularly, have it professionally inspected to ensure the size or weight of the racquet is appropriate.
- TOPICAL COMPOUND CREAMS. Can be rubbed onto the affected area.
- PHYSICAL THERAPY. Exercises that concentrate on reinforcing the forearm muscles are beneficial.
- MUSCLE-STIMULATING PROCEDURES. Prescribed by your doctor and physical therapist improve the healing of the tendons. Ultrasound and massaging with ice also help.
- BRACING. A brace can also ease symptoms.
For those patients who fail the most conservative measures over roughly three months, cortisone shots into the affected muscle or other types of injections are used. New technologies such as injections of stem cells and platelet rich plasma are being used by the surgeons at Florida Orthopaedic Institute.
Surgical Treatments
As always, your Florida Orthopaedic Institute surgeon will exhaust all applicable nonsurgical healing methods before advising surgery. Surgical intervention may be recommended if the pain continues and all conservative methods have been exhausted after approximately a year. If surgery is required, it is typically used to eliminate unhealthy muscle and connect healthier muscle to the bone.
The right surgical approach for you will depend on a range of factors. These include the scope of your injury, your general health, and your personal needs. Your Florida Orthopaedic Institute surgeon can discuss all the options.
Areas of Focus
- Elbow
- Arthroscopic Debridement of the Elbow
- Aspiration of the Olecranon Bursa
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- Elbow Bursitis
- Elbow Injuries in Throwing Athletes
- Golfer's Elbow
- Growth Plate Injuries Of The Elbow
- Hyperextension Injury of the Elbow
- LITTLE LEAGUER'S ELBOW (MEDIAL APOPHYSITIS)
- Olecranon Stress Fractures
- Tennis Elbow
- Triceps Tendonitis
- UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) Injuries
- Valgus Extension Overload
The following Florida Orthopaedic Institute physicians specialize in Tennis Elbow:
Specialties
- Achilles Tendinitis - Achilles Insertional Calcific Tendinopathy (ACIT)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendonitis
- ACL Injuries
- ALIF: Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Surgery
- Ankle Fracture Surgery
- Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)
- Ankle Fusion
- Arthritis & Adult Reconstruction Surgery
- Arthroscopic Chondroplasty
- Arthroscopic Debridement of the Elbow
- Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
- Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR)
- Aspiration of the Olecranon Bursa
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Back Surgery Types
- Bankart Repair
- Basal Joint Surgery
- Bicep Tendon Tear
- Bicep Tenodesis
- Bioinductive Implant
- Broken Collarbone
- Bunions
- Bursitis of the Shoulder (Subacromial Bursitis)
- Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- CARTIVA® Implant For Big Toe Joint Arthritis
- Charcot Joint
- Chiropractic
- Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
- Community Outreach
- ConforMIS Knee Replacement
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH)
- Discitis
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dupuytren’s Disease
- Elbow
- Elbow Bursitis
- Elbow Injuries in Throwing Athletes
- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Finger Dislocation
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg
- Fractures Of The Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Fractures Of The Tibial Spine
- Functional Nerve Transfers of The Hand
- Ganglion Cysts
- General Orthopedics
- Glenoid Labrum Tear
- Golfer's Elbow
- Growth Plate Injuries Of The Elbow
- Hallux Rigidus - Cheilectomy
- Hand & Finger Replantation
- Hand & Upper Extremity
- Hand & Wrist
- Hand Nerve Decompression
- Hand Skin Grafts
- Hip & Thigh
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hyperextension Injury of the Elbow
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Interventional Pain Management
- Interventional Spine
- Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture
- Knee & Leg
- Kyphosis
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injuries
- Lisfranc Injuries
- LITTLE LEAGUER'S ELBOW (MEDIAL APOPHYSITIS)
- MACI
- MAKO Knee Replacement Surgery
- MAKO Total Hip Replacement
- Mallet, Hammer & Claw Toes
- Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Meniscus Tears
- Metatarsalgia
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Muscle Spasms
- NAVIO Surgical System
- Nerve Pain
- Neuromas (Foot)
- Olecranon Stress Fractures
- Orthopaedic Total Wellness
- Orthopedic Trauma
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Partial Knee Replacement
- Patellar Fracture
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Hand) Revision
- Pinched Nerve
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Podiatrist or Orthopaedic Physician?
- Primary Care Orthopedics Sports Medicine
- PROstep™ Minimally Invasive Surgery for Bunions
- Quadriceps Tendon Tear
- Revascularization of the Hand
- Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
- Revision Knee Surgery
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) of the Shoulder
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hand
- Robotics
- ROSA® Knee Robotic Surgical Assistant
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Senior Strong
- Shin Splints
- Shoulder
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Shoulder Replacement
- Shoulder Socket Fracture (Glenoid Fracture)
- SLAP Tears & Repairs
- Spinal Fusion
- Spine
- Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Sports Medicine
- Sprained Ankle
- Sudden (Acute) Finger, Hand & Wrist Injuries
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)
- Tendon Transfers of The Hand
- Tennis Elbow
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Total Ankle Replacement
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
- Total Knee Replacement
- Triceps Tendonitis
- Trigger Finger
- UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) Injuries
- Ulnar Neuritis
- Valgus Extension Overload
- Verilast
- Vertebroplasty
- WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet)
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
- Wrist Arthroscopy
- Wrist Fractures
- Wrist Sprains
- Wrist Tendonitis