When Is It Time To Consider Surgery For Your Tennis Elbow?

If you have a stubborn, chronic case of Golfer's or Tennis Elbow, when is it 'time' to start thinking about surgery? – If you're like most people, you regard surgery as a last resort – A serious decision not to be rushed into or taken lightly.

Here's the full article on surgery and Tennis Elbow

Tennis Elbow, Surgery And The Placebo Effect

Here's my new Storify story about a surgeon who claims to perform surgeries, including for Tennis Elbow, that may only work due to the placebo effect, and a surprising, recent medical study comparing actual Tennis Elbow surgery with a fake "placebo" procedure!

Dont Get Sidelined By Tennis Elbow This Season

It's that time of year again... T-shirts, tee times and tennis rackets - Most call it spring - but it's also Tennis Elbow Season!

For some, Tennis Elbow hits right when they pick up that racket or club after a long winter of inactivity, for others, it strikes mid season after overdoing it playing too hard or too often without enough recovery time…

But, for still others, it simply creeps up on them gradually all season! These warning signs can appear anytime!

Here are the warning signs of Tennis Elbow to watch for, what to do if you start feeling them - And how seriously to take them.

Read the full post on Tennis Elbow Season Here!

Avoiding Tennis And Golf Injuries

Autologous Blood And Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections: Are They Efficacious In Treating Tennis Elbow? [Video]

Is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) truly a breakthrough in Tennis Elbow treatment?

In this “podcast video” Allen Willette from Tennis Elbow Classroom, discusses the upsides and downsides of PRP, (an injection procedure that uses your own blood)...

Including whether it's a safe and effective treatment for Tennis and Golfer's Elbow; whether it's worth the price – and the pain afterward (also sometimes during) – and whether there are any alternatives to achieve the same goals.

Here’s my full, detailed article on PRP and Tennis Elbow, (including the video)

Addressing the following questions in more detail than the video above, including links to news sources and medical study cites:

1. What is Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy? – (See below, also)
2. What’s the difference between PRP and Autologous Blood Injection?
3. What’s the theory on how PRP and ABI work?
4. Is PRP an effective treatment for Lateral Epicondylitis?
5. What’s my opinion as a practitioner who specializes in treating Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow?

What is Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy?

PRP (and its less-sophisticated relative, Autologous Blood Injection) are in-office “non-surgical” procedures that both begin by having a small amount of your blood drawn.

In the PRP procedure your blood is spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, by separating them from your red blood cells and your plasma, which is mostly water and Electrolytes.

Then your platelets (along with some of your plasma) is injected into the injured area that's not healing (usually a tendon or ligament.)

Platelets are the cells in your blood that are mostly responsible for blood clotting, and they also secrete growth factors (including human growth hormone) that are involved in tissue healing.

(The procedure with ABI is the same, except they skip the spinning and separating step, and simply inject you with the whole blood.)

“Compared to nearly ever other medical intervention or treatment for Tennis Elbow, (and other Tendinopathies) I would really like to be positive about this one. I can certainly say I like the theory on it!”

For a deeper look at PRP and ABI, including medical study cites, links to mainstream news articles and more, read my post here:

Full article on PRP and Tennis Elbow, (including video)

What's The Best Kind Of Brace For Tennis Elbow?

Here's my answer to this tricky question from Quora. (It really depends on what your goal is; playing tennis, pain relief or healing.)

Often the best brace for Tennis Elbow is none at all. Here's my full-length article on braces.

Read Allen Willette's answer to What is the best type of brace for tennis elbow (tendinitis in the elbow)? on Quora

Is The RICE Protocol The Right Approach To Treating Lateral Epicondylitis?

Here's my contrarian answer to this question on Quora - Why the answer is actually, "No!"

Read Allen Willette's answer to Is R.I.C.E. the right treatment approach to Tennis Elbow? on Quora

Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections: Are They Effective For Lateral Epicondylitis?

Is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy a new Tennis Elbow breakthrough treatment? Or is it an expensive, unproven fad, driven by rock star-athlete publicity and questionable medical studies?