What should I expect from the elbow tennis operation?
If you are a candidate for a tennis elbow surgery, it means that you have undergone other types of treatment that have not cured or have moderated the pain associated with the condition. If the pain you feel is chronic and heavy enough to adversely affect everyday life, the doctor will recommend to treat the problem of tennis surgery. You should expect an extended recovery time after a tennis elbow surgery and you should also be prepared for the possibility of infection, reduced range of movement and weakness due to surgery. This means that you will feel some pain after tennis surgery; Doctors often prescribe painkillers and in some cases anti -inflammatory drugs. You will be responsible for keeping the wound dressed and you will have to keep this bandage throughout the healing of dry and clean process. If the bandage is soaked or dirty, it should be immediately changed to prevent infection and other complications that can slow down healing.
You should expect the affected arm to be immobilized several weeks after the operation. Most patients fully recover within six to eight weeks, although for some the healing process may take longer. You may need to wear a slingshot to support your arm and the use of this arm should be limited for the duration of healing. Once healing occurs, you should expect to participate in physical therapy to restore the strength and mobility of the affected arm that has lost strength during the recovery period.
It is important to be realistic about your expectations for the tennis elbow surgery. Many patients still suffer from pain after surgery and recovery time, so you should be ready for this option. It is probabilities that after surgery you will lose some mobility and in that arm you can lose strength. Some mobility and strength can be regained, but it is not uncommon for a person to lose mobility or strength permanently to some extent after a tennis elbow surgery. As a result of surgery mIt can also damage the nerves, leading to armor, insensitivity or loss of mobility in the arm. If these conditions become problematic, subsequent operation may be required.