PRP or Cortisone for Tennis Elbow? | The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness

Why persistent elbow pain needs another look

Check that the pain is actually lateral elbow tendinopathy. Nerve irritation, referred pain and other elbow conditions can look similar. A clinician can review your examination, work or sport load and whether rehabilitation has been adjusted over time. Persistent symptoms do not prove that an injection is needed.

Contact us on WhatsApp at +44 7961 280835 or call 020 3951 3429 to discuss a medical assessment. Bring details of previous physiotherapy and injections.

What the PRP evidence says

The 2021 Cochrane review included 32 studies with 2,337 participants. For the comparison with placebo, it found moderate certainty evidence that PRP or autologous blood injection probably does not give a clinically significant improvement in pain or function at three months. A comparison in which PRP performs better than steroid does not by itself show that PRP is better than placebo.

Protocols differ between studies, and some findings are uncertain. PRP should not be described as a proven tendon repair or a guaranteed way to avoid surgery. The procedure also carries risks, including pain and a small risk of infection.

What about another cortisone injection?

A 2013 randomised trial in chronic lateral epicondylalgia found that corticosteroid injection led to worse outcomes at one year and more recurrence than placebo injection. This does not mean steroid is never appropriate for any elbow condition. It does mean another injection needs a careful discussion of the diagnosis, previous response and the longer term trade off.

Do not stop prescribed medicines or change pain relief based on a general article. Discuss this with the clinician who knows your medical history.

A plan beyond injections

Ask whether your rehabilitation has addressed load, technique and a gradual return to the activities that provoke pain. Discuss whether further investigation would change treatment, rather than requesting a scan as a default. Some persistent cases need specialist review.

At The Wellness, the aim is a clear explanation of the options and their limits. Contact us by WhatsApp at +44 7961 280835, call 020 3951 3429 or email team@thewellnesslondon.com to discuss the next step.

Costs and consent

Joint and tendon PRP starts at £750. Suitability and the total price of any proposed treatment should be confirmed before booking. Price is not evidence of benefit. Ask why PRP is being recommended in your particular case and how the response will be reviewed.

Preparing for treatment and recovery

Tell the clinician about medicines, allergies, bleeding problems and recent illness. Do not stop prescribed medicines on your own. Ask about pain relief, the expected short term discomfort and how work, sport and rehabilitation should be adjusted. Written aftercare and a route for follow up should be part of the plan.

Increasing pain, spreading redness, fever or discharge after an injection needs medical advice. Sudden severe pain or a new inability to move the elbow should not be dismissed as an expected reaction.

Questions before deciding on an injection

Does PRP working better than steroid prove it works? No. If steroid has worse longer term outcomes, beating steroid is not the same as beating placebo. Ask which comparison supports the recommendation.

Should I book another injection because the first helped briefly? Not automatically. A short term reduction in pain should be weighed against recurrence, risks and the longer term plan. Review what happened after the previous injection.

Does PRP replace rehabilitation? No. Discuss a graded return to activity and how progress will be measured. An injection should not replace a plan for the loads that bring the pain back.

What if PRP does not help? Agree a review point and next steps before treatment. More injections are not a guaranteed answer to lack of response.

Contact The Wellness about persistent elbow pain

You do not need to choose an injection before an assessment. Tell us what you have tried, what still limits you and what happened after any previous cortisone injection. Contact us on WhatsApp at +44 7961 280835, call 020 3951 3429 or email team@thewellnesslondon.com to discuss the options and written costs.

Evidence and review

Cochrane, Autologous blood or PRP injection for lateral elbow pain, 2021. https://www.cochrane.org/de/evidence/CD010951_autologous-blood-or-prp-injection-lateral-elbow-pain

Effect of Corticosteroid Injection, Physiotherapy, or Both on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Unilateral Lateral Epicondylalgia, JAMA, 2013. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1568252

Written and reviewed by the clinical team at The Wellness. Updated October 2026. General information, not individual medical advice.