“What happens if tennis elbow is left untreated?”

One of 2 things. You will stop playing tennis because of pain and it will go away. Or, you will continue playing tennis and it will keep hurting you.
Hope it helps!!

Dr. Bose

Nothing bad. Tennis elbow usually causes pain on the outside of the elbow. The severity can vary. Treatment can improve it but if you can tolerate the pain you can choose not to have any type of treatment. Sometimes it just burns itself out where the symptoms just resolve overtime without any specific treatment.

Most tennis elbow will be bad for awhile then improve. A very small number of patients require surgery. Initial treatment for a tennis player is to make sure racquet and string tension are appropriate. Increase icing to lateral elbow icing ( 3-4 times daily). Increased routine stretching both before tennis and other activities. Try more regular icy hot or Voltaren gel to elbow. If pain resolves work more aggressively with strengthening of elbow muscles. Therapy and injections with prp or steroid can help. Surgery is last choice and can be very successful. Good luck.