A recent study conducted at Stanford University published in American Journal of Sports Medicine claims that a prospective new treatment is at hand to help those suffering from elbow tendonitis often termed as ‘tennis elbow’ or ‘golfer’s elbow to avoid the possibility of a surgery to alleviate the suffering. It’s not necessarily a malady afflicting just men or women wielding racquets on grass or clay courts. This ailment starts with the degeneration of the a tendon of muscles that control movement at wrists and hand which is located at the elbow joint.
Dr. Allan Mishra, co-author of this study has exolained to the media that the new treatment involves collecting blood from individuals with elbow tendonitis and concentrating it to have a richer composition of ‘platelets’(acomponent of blood involved with defence and repair of cells) and re-injecting the platelet concentrate into the affected tendon in the painful elbow.Results of the study has shown that 15 of the patients who received a one time injection of this rich lab treated concentrate of blood platelets have shown remarkable improvement and even gone back to resume normal activities involving use of their wrists which was excruciating before commencement of treatment.At the end of two years from the time of injection, 93% of patients have reported complete satisfaction.
This new ‘biologic’ treatment aims to allow the body to heal itself has shown that it is much superior to the other options at hand presently like bracing, physical therapy and corticosteroids injections which only offer a temporary palliation.However more investigations are essential before this therapy can be made available for patients suffering with tennis elbow world wide.
Source-Medindia
MST
