Tennis Elbow Injection Therapy
Specialist assessment and corticosteroid injection therapy for selected cases
of tennis elbow at our Fareham clinic
What Is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral elbow tendinopathy, affects the tendons that attach to the outside of the elbow.
It commonly causes pain with gripping, lifting, carrying, typing, gym work or racquet sports and can sometimes spread into the upper forearm.
Despite the name, you do not need to play tennis to develop it. Symptoms often build gradually following repetitive gripping or a change in work, exercise or activity.
Want to Learn More About Tennis Elbow?
Read more about tennis elbow, why symptoms develop and how progressive rehabilitation can help restore strength and tendon tolerance.
When Can an Injection Help?
Corticosteroid injection may be considered in selected cases where tennis elbow is particularly painful or irritable and symptoms are significantly affecting everyday hand use, work, sleep or progress with rehabilitation.
Reducing pain can sometimes make gripping and movement more comfortable and create an opportunity to move forward with rehabilitation.
Because tennis elbow is a tendon-related condition, your specialist will consider how long the symptoms have been present, previous treatment, tendon irritability and what you would like to get back to before discussing whether an injection has a useful role.
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How Does a Tennis Elbow Injection Work?
Corticosteroid is an anti-inflammatory medicine.
When used for tennis elbow, a small amount of corticosteroid is placed around the painful tendon region on the outside of the elbow.
The aim is to reduce pain and irritability, making everyday use of the arm more comfortable.
For tennis elbow, injection therapy is used selectively because longer-term recovery also depends on rebuilding the tendon’s ability to tolerate gripping and load. Progressive rehabilitation therefore remains an important part of treatment.Â
Is Corticosteroid the Only Treatment?
No. Most tennis elbow treatment centres around gradually restoring the tendon’s strength and tolerance to load.
Rehabilitation may include progressive wrist and forearm strengthening, grip work and guidance around modifying work, exercise or other aggravating activities while symptoms settle.
Your specialist may also assess the shoulder, wrist and wider upper limb where these are contributing to the demands placed on the elbow.
Injection therapy can sometimes form part of this wider plan when pain is making progress difficult.
Do I Need a Scan Before an Injection?
Not usually.
Tennis elbow can often be identified from your symptoms and clinical examination.
Ultrasound or MRI may be helpful if the diagnosis is unclear, symptoms are unusual or progress has not been as expected.
If you already have imaging, your specialist can review this alongside your symptoms and examination findings.
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Specialist Tennis Elbow Injections in Fareham
Assessment and injection therapy for tennis elbow are provided at our Fareham clinic by Mike Gillingham, Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist & Hand Specialist Physiotherapist.
Mike will assess whether your symptoms are consistent with tennis elbow and discuss whether corticosteroid injection, rehabilitation, imaging or another treatment approach would be the most useful next step.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carpal Tunnel Injections
What is the aim of the injection?
How quickly might the injection work?
How long might the benefit last?
Will I need to wear a wrist splint as well?
Can carpal tunnel syndrome affect both hands?
Do I need a GP referral?
Not Sure Whether an Injection Is Right for You?
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You do not need to know whether corticosteroid is the correct treatment before contacting us.
Tell us about your hand symptoms, how long they have been present and how they are affecting sleep, work or everyday activity. Your enquiry will be reviewed by our upper-limb specialist, who can advise you on the most appropriate next step.
