Resistant Tennis Elbow

Abstract

Fifty cases of resistant tennis elbow were studied, thirty seven of these had been treated by lengthening the tendon of extensor carpi radialis brevis, and thirteen by decompression of the radial tunnel. The two groups were well matched in terms of age, sex and pre-operative symptoms and signs. It was found that the results of surgery were very similar in the two groups and this observation is explained by anatomical study showing that surgical division of the fibrous arch of the superficial leaf of supinator will relieve tension on the lateral epicondyle and its adjacent structures thus allowing relief of symptoms independently of radial or posterior interosseous nerve decompression. This elaborates previously published work showing that there is no clinical or electrical evidence of radial nerve entrapment in resistant tennis elbow.