The Elbow - Tenniselbow II

Type II has the spontaneous tendency to heal in a natural way.
This evolution can take up to two years. Relapses rarely ever occur after a natural healing.

On the other hand, a treatment with steroid injections can slow down the natural recovery considerably.
Patients who only have moderate pain should not be treated with steroids.
It is important to reassure the patient and to convince him to let his lesion heal in a natural way
if the affection has been evolving for already several months.

The mechanism of spontaneous recovery is explained as follows;
As the result of the repetitive contractions of the extensors of the wrist that put tension on the healing breach, the gap between the two edges gradually widens.
Finally the two surfaces cease to lie in apposition and the tension on the scar ceases. The gap now fills with fibrous tissue. The painful scar is now embedded and heals with permanent lengthening of some tendinous fibres.
In consequence, the strain no longer falls on that part of the tendon; Recurrences are thus prevented by the structural alteration in the tendon.

inflamation; pain
elongated fibrous tissue; natural cure