Tendon & Overuse Injury Treatment — Tennis Elbow, Tendonitis & More
Overuse Injuries: When Doing What You Love Starts to Hurt
Tendons are the cables that connect muscle to bone — and they don’t love repetition. Pickleball serves, golf swings, gardening, even gripping a steering wheel can inflame or degenerate a tendon over time. The frustrating part: tendons heal slowly because they have limited blood supply. That’s exactly why precision treatment — and in select cases, orthobiologics — can make such a difference.
Overuse Conditions We Treat
Tennis Elbow Treatment That Goes Beyond the Brace
Most tennis elbow improves with time — but “time” can mean 12–18 months of grip pain. Evidence-based options to shorten that course include targeted eccentric strengthening, ultrasound-guided percutaneous tenotomy that stimulate the tendon’s healing response, and PRP, which randomized trials have shown can outperform cortisone for tennis elbow over the long term. Notably, repeated cortisone injections can actually weaken tendons — one reason a precise diagnosis and a real plan beat a quick shot.
What Treatment Looks Like
Dr. O examines the tendon under ultrasound at your first visit, grades the injury, and walks you through options — from structured loading programs to image-guided procedures — with honest timelines for each.
Answers from Dr. Ogunsola
The questions Treasure Coast patients search most — answered with the same honesty you'll get in the office.
How long does tennis elbow take to heal?
Untreated, often 12–18 months. With a structured program — and orthobiologic treatment where appropriate — many patients improve substantially in 6–12 weeks. The right plan depends on how degenerated the tendon is, which ultrasound shows clearly.
Is cortisone bad for tendons?
Cortisone reliably reduces pain short-term, but repeated injections into tendons are associated with weakening and worse long-term outcomes for conditions like tennis elbow. We use cortisone selectively and strategically — not as a default.
What is PRP for tendon injuries?
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) concentrates the growth factors from your own blood and delivers them into the damaged tendon under ultrasound guidance, supporting the tendon’s natural repair process. It’s one of the better-studied orthobiologic treatments for chronic tendinopathy.