If your elbow lights up every time you swing a paddle, you are not alone. Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America, and a wave of nagging elbow, shoulder, knee, and heel injuries has come along with it. Most of these injuries will not heal on their own, no matter how much ice or ibuprofen you throw at them.
PRP therapy, short for Platelet Rich Plasma therapy, is one of the most effective treatments we offer at Urgent Care of Oconee for chronic joint and tendon pain. It uses a concentrated sample of your own blood platelets, injected directly into the injured area to kickstart your natural repair process. For pickleball elbow and tennis elbow, PRP can restore real function when rest, bracing, and physical therapy have stalled.
We treat pickleball players, tennis players, golfers, runners, and weekend warriors across all three of our locations in Athens, Watkinsville, and Madison. Here is what you need to know about pickleball elbow, why it happens, and how to get treatment this month in Oconee County.
Why Pickleball Injuries Are Exploding Across Oconee County
Pickleball has gone from a niche retirement hobby to a mainstream sport in just a few years. According to USA Pickleball, participation in the US grew 223 percent from 2020 to 2023, making it the fastest growing sport in America, and Oconee County is right in the thick of it.
Drive past any park in Athens, Watkinsville, or Madison on a weekend and you will see courts full of players of every age. The sport is accessible, social, and addictive. It is also harder on the body than most new players expect.
The combination of repetitive swinging, quick lateral movement, and sudden stops creates a perfect storm for tendon and joint injuries. At UCO, we see the same patterns day after day: elbow pain, shoulder tweaks, Achilles flare-ups, knee strains, and plantar fasciitis.
Most of these injuries are not dramatic. You just notice that your elbow hurts a little more every week, and one morning you cannot open a jar of peanut butter without wincing.
Pickleball Elbow vs. Tennis Elbow: What Is the Difference?
Here is a secret most pickleball injury articles skip. Pickleball elbow and tennis elbow are the same condition. The clinical name is lateral epicondylitis, which is inflammation and small tears in the tendons that connect your forearm muscles to the outside of your elbow.
The only real difference is how you got there. Tennis elbow usually comes from the high-force, full-swing motion of a racquet. Pickleball elbow comes from a lighter paddle but much higher repetition, plus the wrist snap that defines so many pickleball shots. Both end in the same place: a cranky elbow that hurts when you grip, twist, or lift.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, lateral epicondylitis affects 1 to 3 percent of adults every year. Among racquet sport players, up to 50 percent will deal with it at some point.
Early symptoms are easy to miss. A dull ache on the outside of your elbow after a match, a weak grip when lifting a coffee cup, or sharp pain when shaking someone’s hand. It tends to get worse over weeks, not days, and by the time patients come to see us, most have been dealing with it for a month or more.
The Most Common Pickleball and Tennis Injuries We See at UCO
Pickleball elbow and tennis elbow are the headline injuries, but they are hardly the only ones. Our team sees racquet sport patients every week, and the injuries fall into a few consistent categories.
Shoulder strains and rotator cuff tendonitis show up in players who swing overhead a lot, like serves, smashes, and high volleys. Knee pain from sudden stops, pivots, and lunges is another frequent visitor. Patellar tendonitis, meniscus aggravation, and general knee arthritis all get worse with court sports. Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis round out the bottom of the chain, with morning heel pain being the telltale plantar fasciitis sign.
For anything that might involve a broken bone, our on-site X-ray means we can diagnose and rule out a fracture during the same visit. You can see the full range of conditions on our injury and trauma care page.
One important note. If you ever experience chest pain, shortness of breath, a severe head injury, or any symptom that feels life-threatening, call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room. Urgent care is the right place for everyday injuries and flare-ups, not emergencies.
Why PRP Works for Pickleball Elbow (When Rest and Ice Have Not)
If you have been icing, stretching, and bracing for weeks without lasting relief, you are a textbook candidate for PRP therapy. The reason rest alone stalls out is that tendons have limited blood supply, which means the raw materials your body needs to rebuild damaged tissue are slow to arrive. PRP solves that problem by concentrating the healing platelets from your own blood and delivering them directly to the injury site.
The research backs it up. A 2019 systematic review in the Arthroscopy Journal showed PRP produced significant long-term improvement in chronic lateral epicondylitis compared to corticosteroid injections. A 2021 meta-analysis in the Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research found PRP outperformed both placebo and steroid injections for chronic tendinopathy pain at 12 months.
Want the full breakdown on how PRP works, what it costs, and who it is best suited for? We cover all of that in our detailed guide: Is PRP Worth It? Cost, Results, and Who Is a Good Candidate. You can also read Jessica’s story to see how PRP helped a real UCO patient avoid surgery.
What to Expect at Your PRP Appointment at Urgent Care of Oconee
PRP therapy at UCO is led by Jeff Chambers, PA-C, who brings more than 25 years of orthopedic and sports medicine experience to every treatment. That depth of experience matters. Proper diagnosis, accurate injection placement, and a clear treatment plan are what separate PRP success stories from disappointments.
- Your first visit starts with a thorough evaluation. We talk through your symptoms, your activity level, what has and has not worked, and your goals. If we need imaging to confirm the diagnosis or rule out a tear or fracture, our on-site X-ray means we can do it right there without sending you anywhere else.
- Once PRP is confirmed as the right approach, the procedure itself is straightforward. We draw a small blood sample, spin it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, and inject the result directly into the injured area. The whole process usually takes under an hour, with no surgery, no general anesthesia, and no long downtime.
- Cost is another common question, so here is the straight answer. PRP therapy at UCO ranges from $650 to $1,000 depending on the treatment area. A full cost breakdown is provided at your consultation. For patients who need ongoing visits for related care, ourUCO Membership Program at $39 per month includes unlimited in-clinic visits across all three locations.
Book a consultation at our Athens location, our Watkinsville location, or our Madison location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pickleball elbow?
Pickleball elbow is lateral epicondylitis, the same condition as tennis elbow. It is caused by repetitive paddle swings that create inflammation and small tears in the tendons on the outside of the elbow.
Does PRP therapy work for pickleball elbow?
Yes. PRP is a well-established treatment for lateral epicondylitis, especially for patients who have not responded to rest, bracing, or physical therapy.
How much does PRP therapy cost at Urgent Care of Oconee?
PRP therapy ranges from $650 to $1,000 depending on the treatment area. A full cost breakdown is provided at your consultation.
How long does it take to feel better after PRP?
Most patients feel meaningful improvement within 4 to 6 weeks, with continued healing over 3 to 6 months.
Who performs PRP therapy at Urgent Care of Oconee?
Jeff Chambers, PA-C, with over 25 years of orthopedic and sports medicine experience, leads PRP therapy at UCO.
Don’t wait for a minor issue to become a major one. Walk in today at Urgent Care of Oconee, no appointment needed, 7 days a week. We’re here for you at our Athens, Watkinsville, and Madison locations.