Tennis elbow surgery is usually performed when there are large tears in the elbow tendon from a sudden injury or if there is severe damage to the elbow. Following the procedure, which, in most cases, is carried out arthroscopically, the patient will be able to return to their everyday activities within approximately 2 to 6 weeks.
They can go back to work in 3 to 12 weeks, depending on the nature of their job, and they should be able to play sports again in 4 to 6 months. During recovery, the patient may need to wear a brace at work and when they play sports that stress the elbow and forearm, such as tennis. Lastly, they will be able to drive when they can comfortably extend the elbow within 1 to 2 weeks after surgery.