PRP Injections for Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow in Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Tennis elbow is the condition where PRP earned its reputation. In head-to-head studies against cortisone, PRP patients had less pain and better function at one and two years. If your elbow has outlasted the brace, the exercises, and the shot, this is the next honest step.
Elbow PRP at a glance
Best evidence: tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
Typical course: a single injection
Downtime: light gripping for one to two weeks
Cost: $700 per injection, $500 for members
Elbow problems PRP can help
Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), pain on the outside of the elbow with gripping and lifting, which has nothing to do with tennis for most people who get it. Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis), the same problem on the inside. Partial UCL sprains in throwing athletes, where PRP is sometimes used to avoid or delay surgery.
What the evidence says
Cortisone wins the first month and PRP wins the year. That pattern has repeated across randomized trials of tennis elbow: cortisone gives fast relief that fades and can leave the tendon weaker, while PRP takes several weeks to work and keeps working at twelve and twenty-four months. Golfer’s elbow has less research but the tendon behaves the same way. The one caveat: PRP still needs a tendon-loading program alongside it to hold the result.
How Ridgeview approaches elbow PRP
- Exam to rule out the look-alikes: nerve entrapment, neck-referred pain, and joint problems
- Ultrasound of the tendon origin to see the degenerated area and any small tear
- Ultrasound guidance during the injection, which matters on the inner elbow where the ulnar nerve runs close by
- Grip and forearm strengthening that starts within days, not weeks
- Technique and equipment review for tennis, golf, climbing, and lifting
Worth a conversation if
Lifting a coffee cup or turning a doorknob hurts
Pain has lasted three months despite a brace and exercises
A cortisone shot worked, then the pain came back worse
A pitcher or thrower with inner elbow pain who wants to avoid surgery
Related conditions
What to expect from an elbow PRP injection.
About an hour in the office. Expect the elbow to be angrier than usual for a few days; that is the point.
Before: pause anti-inflammatories as instructed. No brace needed for the visit.
Day of: blood draw, preparation, and a guided injection into the tendon origin. You can drive home.
First two weeks: soreness for several days, then gentle grip and wrist exercises. Avoid heavy lifting and racket sports.
Weeks three to twelve: progressive forearm loading. Tennis and golf usually return around six weeks with a modified schedule.
Follow-up: exam and ultrasound to confirm the tendon is responding. A second injection is uncommon.
Elbow PRP questions
PRP or cortisone for tennis elbow?
If you need to get through a tournament next week, cortisone. If you want the elbow fixed for next year, PRP. Repeated cortisone injections are linked to worse outcomes for tennis elbow over time, which is why Ridgeview limits them and offers PRP as the durable option.
Does PRP work for golfer’s elbow too?
The tendon on the inside of the elbow degenerates the same way, and PRP is used for it with good results, though there are fewer studies. Ultrasound guidance is especially important here because the ulnar nerve sits right beside the injection site.
How long until I can play again?
Most patients are back to modified tennis, golf, or climbing at about six weeks, with full intensity around three months. You leave with a week-by-week loading plan, not a vague “rest it.”
Stop babying the elbow. Get it evaluated.
One visit with Dr. Kroner, including ultrasound, and a clear recommendation. $250, waived for Ridgeview members. Serving Wheat Ridge and the west Denver metro.