Skip to main navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer For Medicare For Providers For Brokers For Employers Español For Individuals & Families: For Individuals & Families
Shop for Plans

Shop for Plans
Shop for your own coverage
Medical Dental Other Supplemental
Plans through your employer

Learn about the medical, dental, pharmacy, behavioral, and voluntary benefits your employer may offer.

Explore coverage through work
Learn
How to Buy Health Insurance Types of Dental Insurance Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment See all topics
Looking for Medicare coverage?
Shop for Medicare plans
Member Guide
Find a Doctor
Medical Dental Other Supplemental Explore coverage through work How to Buy Health Insurance Types of Dental Insurance Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment See all topics Shop for Medicare plans Member Guide Find a Doctor Log in to myCigna
Home Knowledge Center Wellness Library Surgery for Tennis Elbow

Surgery for Tennis Elbow

Surgery Overview

Surgery for tennis elbow may involve:

  • Cutting (releasing) the tendon.
  • Removing inflamed tissue from the tendon.
  • Repairing (reattaching) tendon tears if it can be done without overtightening the tendon.

Surgery may be done using arthroscopy, traditional open surgery, or a combination of the two techniques. It depends on the type of problem and the method the doctor prefers to use.

Surgery can be done with general or regional anesthetic. It may require an overnight stay in the hospital.

What To Expect

What To Expect

Recovery varies from person to person. It usually takes at least 3 to 6 months to recover completely.

  • Cigarette smoking slows tendon and wound healing.
  • Recovery depends on the amount of time and effort you put into a rehabilitation program.
  • You may not be able to keep doing the activity that caused your tennis elbow. Or you may have to make some changes to the way you do that activity from now on.
 Why It Is Done

Why It Is Done

You and your doctor may consider surgery if:

  • You still have elbow soreness and pain after more than 6 to 12 months of nonsurgical treatment.
  • You can't do your daily tasks and activities because of elbow pain.

Learn more

  • Tennis Elbow: Should I Have Surgery?
How Well It Works

How Well It Works

Various surgical procedures are used to treat tennis elbow. Some surgical research exists. But there are no published, controlled trials that either strongly support or discourage the use of any one procedure or prove that surgery is better than other treatment.footnote 1

Most people are able to return to their previous activities after tennis elbow surgery. Be sure to change any previous technique, equipment, or activity that has been linked to the elbow pain.

Risks

Risks

The risks of surgery for tennis elbow include:

  • Slight loss of ability to straighten the arm.
  • Elbow pain that won't go away or that comes back.
  • Infection, blood loss, nerve damage (risks in all surgeries).
  • Anesthesia side effects.
References

References

Citations

  1. Buchbinder R, et al. (2011). Surgery for lateral elbow pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3).

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.

© 1995-2024 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

<cipublic-spinner variant="large"><span>Loading…</span></cipublic-spinner>

Page Footer

I want to...

Get an ID card File a claim View my claims and EOBs Check coverage under my plan See prescription drug list Find an in-network doctor, dentist, or facility Find a form Find 1095-B tax form information View the Cigna Glossary Contact Cigna

Audiences

Individuals and Families Medicare Employers Brokers Providers

Secure Member Sites

myCigna member portal Health Care Provider portal Cigna for Employers Client Resource Portal Cigna for Brokers

The Cigna Group Information

About Cigna Healthcare Company Profile Careers Newsroom Investors Suppliers The Cigna Group Third Party Administrators International Evernorth

 Cigna. All rights reserved.

Privacy Legal Product Disclosures Cigna Company Names Customer Rights Accessibility Non-Discrimination Notice Language Assistance [PDF] Report Fraud Sitemap Cookie Settings

Disclaimer

Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT); (ii) Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) (Philadelphia, PA); or (iii) New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (“NYLGICNY”) (New York, NY), formerly known as Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. LINA and NYLGICNY are not affiliates of Cigna.

All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.

Selecting these links will take you away from Cigna.com to another website, which may be a non-Cigna website. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. Details