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How long does it take to recover from tennis elbow surgery?

Tennis elbow surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, meaning that you don’t have to stay the night at the hospital. However, it can take several weeks to recover, depending on how extensive your surgery was. Most people return to work between 3-12 weeks after surgery, but this varies by job. Check with your health insurance provider if your personalized coverage includes paid time off work for surgery. 

During the first 7-10 days, your movement will be quite limited, and you should keep your elbow elevated while resting. You may be required to wear a splint or a sling for the first 10-14 days. If you had open surgery, your doctor will tell you how to change your bandages and clean the wound. Avoid getting the surgical area wet in the bath or shower for the first couple of weeks or until your doctor instructs otherwise.

Returning to intense physical activity, like organized sports, takes much longer--typically about 4-6 months.

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* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

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