How long does tennis elbow take to heal?

It varies a lot from person to person. AAOS reports that approximately 80 to 95% of patients have success with nonsurgical treatment, and that surgery may be recommended if symptoms haven't responded after 6 to 12 months. We track your grip and the tasks that hurt so you can see whether things are moving in the right direction.

What is the difference between tennis elbow and golfer's elbow?

Location. Tennis elbow affects the tendons on the outside of the elbow, where the muscles that extend your wrist and fingers attach, and golfer's elbow affects the tendons of forearm muscles that attach on the inside. Both come from repeated forearm use, and neither requires playing the sport it's named after.

Does a tennis elbow brace help?

It can. AAOS notes that a brace centered over the back of your forearm may help relieve symptoms, and MedlinePlus describes a forearm brace for golfer's elbow that can reduce strain on the muscles. Think of it as support while you strengthen, not a replacement for strengthening.

Can I keep lifting weights with golfer's elbow?

Usually, with changes. MedlinePlus advises avoiding the activity that causes your symptoms for at least 2 to 3 weeks, or until the pain goes away, which for a lifter often means swapping grips or exercises rather than stopping training altogether. We'll help you decide which lifts to keep, which to modify and when to bring the rest back.

What should we do about elbow pain in a young pitcher?

Stop throwing and have your child seen by their physician or a pediatric sports medicine specialist. Inner elbow pain in a thrower whose bones are still growing can involve the growth plate, a problem often called Little League elbow, and it needs a medical evaluation. Once a physician has evaluated the elbow, we can help with the rehab and a gradual return to throwing; young athletes are welcome at the clinic.

Tennis and Golfer's Elbow Treatment in Buffalo

Most people with tennis elbow don’t play tennis. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) puts the share of cases in tennis players at less than 5%, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) notes that painters, plumbers and carpenters are particularly prone to it. Golfer’s elbow is the same kind of problem on the inside of the arm. Tennis elbow physical therapy at Lake Erie Physical Therapy aims to settle the irritated tendon, strengthen it, and change the daily loads that keep aggravating it, whether those come from a job site, a mouse and keyboard on the Medical Campus or the first warm weekend of golf season.

Outside or inside?

	Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)	Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
Where it hurts	Outer elbow, as pain or burning	Inner elbow, running along the forearm toward the wrist on the pinky side
What’s involved	Tendons of the muscles that extend the wrist and fingers	Tendons of the forearm muscles that attach to the inside of the elbow
What aggravates it	Holding a racquet, turning a wrench, shaking hands	Gripping, flexing the wrist palm down, shaking hands
Often linked to	Ages 30 to 50; painting, plumbing, carpentry; racquet sports	Golf, throwing and racquet sports, weight training; painting, plumbing, cooking, computer work
Other signs	Weak grip	Weak grip; sometimes numbness or tingling into the ring and little fingers

AAOS describes tennis elbow as overuse damage: when the forearm muscle most often involved (the extensor carpi radialis brevis) is weakened from overuse, microscopic tears form in its tendon where it attaches to the bony bump on the outside of the elbow. MedlinePlus describes golfer’s elbow the same way on the inner side: repeated use can lead to small tears or degeneration in the tendons. People often lump both together as elbow tendonitis, and the rehab principles overlap. If your pain sits closer to the wrist or thumb, see wrist and hand pain.

Is it really the elbow?

Not always. AAOS notes that doctors may order an MRI of the neck to check for a herniated disc, or an EMG to rule out nerve compression, when symptoms suggest those causes. So the first visit includes a neck screen, and we use repeated-movement testing from the McKenzie Method (MDT) on the neck and the elbow to see whether your symptoms change. Dr. Will Tso, PT, DPT, Cert. MDT, is certified in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, and Dr. Ryan Mitchell, PT, DPT, uses the method as his primary approach. If neck movements change your arm pain, the plan shifts toward the neck; our pinched nerve page explains that pattern.

Tennis elbow physical therapy at our Buffalo clinic

AAOS reports that approximately 80 to 95% of patients have success with nonsurgical treatment, and APTA notes that research has shown physical therapy can help people with tennis elbow improve their pain and function. No single technique works for everyone, so care combines a few low-risk pieces and adjusts to how your arm responds:

Easing the load without shutting your arm down. Early on, that can mean pausing or changing the task that sets it off while the rest of your arm keeps working.
Progressive forearm strengthening. AAOS notes that specific exercises help strengthen the forearm muscles. We usually begin with gentle holds that don’t flare the tendon, then progress to slower, heavier wrist, forearm and grip work, plus the shoulder and upper back when they’re part of the picture.
Changing how you grip and lift. Lifting with your palm facing up, adjusting your mouse and keyboard, using tools with a better grip, or checking your racquet’s string tension and grip size can take strain off the tendon between visits.
Hands-on manual therapy for stiff joints and tight tissue when it helps you move and exercise with less pain.
A brace if it helps. AAOS notes that a brace centered over the back of the forearm may help relieve symptoms.
A home program short enough to do at work.

A note on injections: AAOS advises that steroid injections should be used very sparingly for tennis elbow, because excessive use can weaken the bony bump the tendon attaches to. If symptoms don’t respond after 6 to 12 months of nonsurgical treatment, AAOS says your doctor may recommend surgery.

Treating golfer’s elbow

Golfer’s elbow rehab follows the same principles on the inner side. MedlinePlus recommends avoiding the activity that causes symptoms for at least 2 to 3 weeks, or until the pain goes away, then stretching and strengthening exercises and a gradual return to activity. Reviewing your swing or throwing technique, checking club grip size, adjusting your workstation and wearing a forearm brace can all reduce strain. MedlinePlus notes that numbness and tingling into the ring and little fingers can come from irritation of the ulnar nerve near the inner elbow, so we check that nerve whenever those fingers are involved. It also notes that elbow pain usually gets better without surgery.

Young throwers and Little League elbow

Inner elbow pain in a young baseball pitcher or other thrower is a different problem. In a child or teen whose bones are still growing, repeated throwing can irritate the growth plate on the inside of the elbow, often called Little League elbow. A young thrower with elbow pain should stop throwing and see their physician or a pediatric sports medicine specialist. After that evaluation, physical therapy can help with strength, throwing mechanics and a gradual return to the mound, and we see young athletes as well as adults.

When to see a doctor first

Physical therapy does not replace a medical diagnosis. See a physician before starting therapy if:

The pain started with a fall, a pop or a sudden heavy lift, especially with swelling, bruising or a change in the shape of your arm
You can’t fully bend or straighten the elbow, or it catches or feels unstable (MedlinePlus lists catching and instability as reasons to contact a provider)
Numbness and tingling are spreading down the forearm or getting worse, or your hand feels weak
The elbow is hot, red and swollen, or you have a fever
Arm pain comes with chest pressure, shortness of breath or sweating (call 911)

Coverage and getting started

With most plans, New York lets you start physical therapy without a referral for up to 10 visits or 30 days, whichever comes first, though some plans still require one to pay, so check with us. If your elbow problem came from your job and you’re filing a Workers’ Compensation claim, you’ll need a referral from your treating provider first; our Workers’ Compensation page explains the steps.

If shaking hands, lifting a coffee mug or running a drill has started to hurt, call (716) 332-4838 or request an appointment. A sleeveless or short-sleeved shirt makes the exam easier.

Sources

Written by the Lake Erie Physical Therapy clinical team. This page is general information, not a diagnosis; your physical therapist will assess your situation in person.

Physical Therapy for Tennis and Golfer's Elbow