Tennis elbow is damage from excessive movements of forearms, and tennis elbow surgery is a corrective procedure for this problem. In medical terms, tennis elbow surgery is commonly called lateral epicondylitis.
Tennis elbow surgery is considered when there is a condition, wherein it can be considered a repetitive stress injury. Tennis elbow injury happens when the ligaments are being pulled or stretched many times in a repetitive way. The best example of this is the poor backhand technique, using the wrist rather than using the arm, in hitting the ball. This repetitive strain on the tendons produces a lot of tiny tears over the tendons. Even though the injury is called tennis elbow, this injury may be acquired through some movements like painting, raking, using a screwdriver and even simple activities like using scissors.
Do you need tennis elbow surgery ?
A symptom like pain at the outer part of the elbow is a best indication for the patient to consult a doctor for possible tennis elbow surgery. The pain is actually described as a painful feeling deeply rooted in the elbow, near the bony protrusion on the outer part of the elbow. It is usually warm to touch and tender. The pain could worsen, when the arm is lifted, or even with a simple movement.
There are a lot of surgical procedures that have the ability to treat a tennis elbow injury. These surgeries help to remove of all the damaged tissues, and stimulate healing over the affected area. Tennis elbow surgery is done by making an incision over the outside part of the joint.
There are two types of tennis elbow surgery
First: making a cut for about three to four centimeters long in the arm. The sheaths of the tendons are cut and enclosed.
Second: using a scalpel to cut and release the tendon through an opened arm.
Either one of the two types of tennis elbow surgery are done to the patient in no time. The patient can be discharged from the hospital even directly after the surgery. Right after the surgery, the patient’s arm is placed in a plaster cast based sling arm protector.
A newly treated arm can be prone to moisture, and that makes the scar tissue of the arm weakened. It is recommended to keep the arm dry at all times, to make it heal properly and fast. With proper medication and guidelines from the doctor obeyed, the surgery will yield a better result.
Tennis elbow surgery risks
As with any other kind of surgery, there are several risks that can happen, such as infection, bleeding, damage of the nerves, weak straightening of the arm, painful scar and chronic pain to the wrist or arm.
In most patients, possible results may be visible from about three to four weeks after the surgery. The stitches are usually removed two weeks after the surgery, and proper rehabilitation is immediately advised.
The recovery period of tennis elbow surgery may vary from patient to patient. Most people may return to their usual activities after twenty-one days to forty days period.
The tennis elbow surgery recovery can be delayed, if the patient is not observing some precautions, like doing some heavy lifting, or getting involved with some extreme sports such as climbing or throwing.