Steroid shots for tennis elbow may hurt, not help

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Getting a cortisone injection won’t cure tennis elbow any better than a drug-free saline shot, according to a new study – and it might actually slow recovery. Researchers found that a few weeks after receiving the steroid shots, people reported less pain and disability than those who’d been given placebo injections. But a year later, the same patients lagged behind the placebo group in their likelihood of complete recovery. “This absolutely confirms that steroid injections are not a good idea,” said Dr. …