Could a common antibiotic ease tennis elbow pain?
NCT ID NCT04686799
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This early study tested whether a low, non-antibiotic dose of doxycycline could help people with tennis elbow (elbow tendinopathy). The goal was to see if patients would take the medication as prescribed and if it might reduce pain and improve function. Twenty-one adults with elbow pain lasting at least 6 weeks took doxycycline twice daily for 12 weeks, and researchers tracked their compliance and symptoms.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- doxycycline (low dose)
- What this could lead to
- If this approach works, it could offer a new, non-surgical way to manage tennis elbow pain by targeting inflammation.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small feasibility study with only 21 participants. It does not prove that doxycycline is effective for tennis elbow, and results may not apply to everyone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, New York, 10021, United States
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