Although both the incidence and prevalence of tennis elbow (radial epicondylalgia) are 1(2 per cent among adults, the disorder is attributable to tennis in only about five per cent of cases, even if about 50 per cent of tennis players over thirty are affected. The condition often resolves spontaneously in 8(13 months. The basic diagnostic criteria are tenderness at palpation on the radial epicondyle of the humerus, and radial pain on extension of the wrist against resistance with the elbow extended. Maudsley's middle finger test, Mill's manoeuvre and the chair-lift test will confirm the diagnosis. Treatment outcome is best in first-ever cases with a duration of less than three months. In the absence of satisfactory documentation, there is no consensus as to which non-surgical methods are to be preferred. Local cortisone injection provides good relief initially, though recurrence within three months is common. Surgery, resorted to in cases refractory to other treatment, relatively often yields good results, especially if executed earlier than hitherto has been recommended.