PRP for Tennis Elbow in London: What the Evidence Shows and When It Is Worth Trying
Reviewed by The Wellness Team.
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is the stubborn pain on the outer side of the elbow that makes lifting a kettle feel like a test. Most cases settle with time and sensible loading. A stubborn minority do not, and that is where people start asking about injections.
This page sets out what the evidence actually shows for PRP in tennis elbow, honestly, and when it is worth considering at our London clinic.
What tennis elbow actually is
Despite the name, most people with it never play tennis. It is a tendinopathy of the wrist extensor tendons where they anchor at the outer elbow, driven by repeated gripping, lifting and desk work as often as sport. The tendon is not inflamed in the simple sense. It has degenerated under load, which is why anti-inflammatory thinking alone has never fixed it.
The steroid versus PRP evidence, stated plainly
Corticosteroid injections work fast and fade fast. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of level 1 and 2 studies, published in 2023, found steroids superior to PRP at one month, but PRP more effective at six months. That pattern, quick relief that wanes versus slower improvement that holds, is consistent across the randomised trials.
So the honest summary is this. If you need two weeks of relief for a specific reason, a steroid does that. If you want the tendon to be better at six months and beyond, the evidence favours PRP, and that is the outcome most people with a stubborn elbow actually want.
Who it suits
To talk it through with the clinic, message WhatsApp or call 020 3951 3429.
PRP earns its place when the basics have been done properly and the elbow is still limiting you. That usually means three to six months of pain despite activity modification and a genuine attempt at loaded exercise rehabilitation. It is not a first step, and guidance has not made it standard care, which is why we position it as a considered choice rather than a default.
It suits people who want to avoid repeated steroid injections, and people whose work or training cannot wait a year for natural history to run its course.
What treatment involves
A small sample of your blood is drawn and spun to concentrate the platelets, and the concentrate is placed into the tendon under ultrasound guidance. The appointment is short and you go home the same day, with a staged return to gripping and loading over the following weeks.
A joint and tendon PRP treatment is £750 per session, and we will tell you at assessment whether your elbow is the kind of case the evidence supports, because not every elbow is. Our wider honest guide to elbow, wrist and hand injections covers the alternatives.
To discuss your elbow, message WhatsApp, call 020 3951 3429 or email concierge@thelondonprpclinic.com.
Questions people ask
How many PRP sessions does tennis elbow need?
Many people respond to a single session, with improvement building over six to twelve weeks. Some stubborn tendons benefit from a second. We review your progress rather than selling a course up front, and the plan follows your response.
Is PRP better than a steroid injection for tennis elbow?
It depends on the horizon you care about. Steroids relieve pain faster in the first month. Meta-analyses of randomised trials show PRP ahead at six months and beyond. For a tendon problem measured in months, the longer outcome is usually the one that matters.
How much does PRP for tennis elbow cost?
A joint and tendon PRP treatment is £750 per session, confirmed before booking. That includes the assessment of whether PRP is the right call for your elbow, the ultrasound-guided procedure itself and aftercare guidance.
Does the injection hurt?
There is a few seconds of sharp discomfort as the concentrate is placed, and the elbow is usually sore for a few days after. Most people manage with simple measures and are back at a desk the next day, with heavier loading reintroduced gradually.