Tennis elbow is a condition that arises from irritation of the extensor tendons at the lateral elbow — which is why the medical term for the condition is lateral epicondylitis. Despite its name, tennis elbow occurs much more commonly in athletes of other sports than in tennis players themselves, and it is also frequent in workers and patients whose daily activities involve repetitive forearm extension. Pain and tenderness on the lateral elbow are the typical symptoms, characteristically worsened by wrist extension. In some patients, the medial side of the elbow is also involved — and in those cases, symptoms include pain with wrist flexion as well. Most patients with tennis elbow respond well to conservative therapy, but a minority require surgical intervention, and accurate diagnosis is essential because several other conditions can produce similar symptoms. At Los Angeles Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, Dr. John Anastasatos diagnoses and treats tennis elbow and related upper extremity tendon conditions with the depth of training this nuanced condition specifically rewards.

Dr. Anastasatos treats tennis elbow with the most directly relevant academic credential possible: he completed a fellowship in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery and Microsurgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham — formal subspecialty training in upper extremity tendon and musculoskeletal conditions that few cosmetic plastic surgeons possess. He has presented at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Grand Rounds on advanced surgical techniques — teaching credentials at one of the leading medical institutions in Southern California — and was an invited lecturer at the Royal Society of Medicine in London with an invited 2026 return as featured speaker. With over two decades of facial and hand surgical expertise in Beverly Hills since 2007, he is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), and named by The Luxe Insider as one of the Top 10 Plastic Surgeons in the World.

Diagnosis and Differential Considerations

The most common cause of tennis elbow is a tear of the common extensor origin at the lateral epicondyle — but accurate diagnosis can be tricky, because:

• Medial-side involvement — a similar tear can occur in the common flexor origin at the medial epicondyle (sometimes called golfer’s elbow)
• Radial tunnel syndrome differential — compression of the radial nerve distal to the radial head produces overlapping symptoms with lateral epicondylitis. The two conditions can co-exist, and distinguishing them changes treatment.
• Other elbow pathologies — must be ruled out or investigated before assuming uncomplicated tennis elbow

A thorough clinical evaluation by a hand surgeon experienced with upper extremity conditions is the foundation of correct diagnosis.

Conservative Therapy First

Initial therapy for tennis elbow is conservative and effective for most patients:

• Anti-inflammatory medications — to reduce inflammation around the affected tendons
• Rest and activity modification — particularly avoiding the repetitive motions that triggered the condition
• Physical therapy — focused on stretching, strengthening, and gradual return to function
• Cortisone injections — used to calm inflammation when pain is unremitting; usually effective when conservative measures alone are insufficient

Most patients respond well to this stepwise conservative approach, with cortisone injections in particular often providing definitive relief.

Surgical Therapy When Conservative Treatment Fails

Surgical therapy is indicated in approximately 10% of tennis elbow patients — those whose symptoms persist despite appropriate conservative management. Many patients are willing to endure pain for months or years to avoid surgery; athletes and workers who rely on their hands typically elect for definitive surgical therapy sooner rather than later when conservative measures fail.

The surgical procedure involves:

• Exploration of the elbow — direct visualization of the affected tendons
• Excision of diseased tendon tissue — removal of degenerated or damaged sections of the affected tendons
• Tendon repair — precise re-approximation of the healthy tendon edges
• Removal of inflammatory tissue — clearing the chronic inflammation that perpetuated the condition
• Minimal epicondyle bone resection — a small amount of bone is resected to optimize the repair environment
• Tendon re-attachment — secure fixation of the tendons back to the epicondyle

Postoperative Recovery

Postoperative care follows a structured timeline:

• Splint for one month — extending from the axilla to the hand to protect the repair
• Resistive and arm strengthening exercises at 6 weeks — gradual return to active strengthening
• Progressive return to activity — eventual return to heavy-duty work and sport with no permanent restrictions

Athletes follow the same protocol — and like all patients, eventually return to unrestricted activity once full healing is achieved.

Schedule a Tennis Elbow Consultation in Beverly Hills

If you have persistent lateral elbow pain that has not responded to rest and over-the-counter measures, Dr. Anastasatos welcomes patients to the Beverly Hills office at 436 North Bedford Drive, Suite 202, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, for a private consultation. Contact Los Angeles Plastic Surgery to schedule a tennis elbow consultation with Dr. Anastasatos.