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Cortisone and Corticosteroid Injections

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What cortisone injections do, when they help, how long the effect lasts, and the risks of repeated injections for shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand conditions.

Updated Sep 202622 citations
A syringe giving a cortisone injection into the front of a shoulder.
A corticosteroid injection can settle inflammation in a joint or tendon to ease pain and support rehabilitation. Kieran Hirpara 4.0

What it is

A cortisone injection is a strong anti-inflammatory medicine that your doctor injects into a painful joint, tendon or nerve area. Cortisone is the everyday name for corticosteroid, a man-made version of a hormone your body already produces to calm inflammation. The medicine is given as a single shot through the skin, usually with a thin needle, and it works where it lands rather than travelling through your whole body.

Your doctor may suggest this treatment for a range of hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder problems. These include trigger finger (a finger that catches or locks when you bend it), carpal tunnel syndrome (pressure on a nerve that causes tingling and numbness), tennis elbow, de Quervain disease (pain on the thumb side of the wrist), ganglion cysts, and arthritis at the base of the thumb. It is also used for shoulder problems such as a torn rotator cuff, frozen shoulder and impingement, and sometimes for plantar fasciopathy, which is pain under the heel.

The injection works by reducing swelling and irritation in the tissue around the pain source. With less swelling, you often feel less pain and can move more freely. For some conditions the relief is short term, and it may be combined with other treatments such as splinting, exercise or hand therapy. Your doctor will discuss whether an injection suits your condition and your goals, and what to expect if the pain returns later.

Does it work?

Cortisone injections work well for some conditions and less well for others. For frozen shoulder, research shows an injection into the joint eases pain, improves how the shoulder works and increases range of motion [1]. For de Quervain disease, pain and clinical outcomes improved significantly after injection [2]. For arthritis at the base of the thumb, steroid injections bring short-term benefits [3].

For carpal tunnel syndrome, an injection safely relieves symptoms for a while, but most people eventually need surgery for long-term control [4]. Compared with a placebo (a dummy injection), it improved symptoms one month later, and it worked better than steroid tablets for up to 3 months [5]. Beyond 8 weeks, it did no better than anti-inflammatory treatment, splinting or laser treatment [5].

For tennis elbow, the picture is more mixed. Steroid injections help briefly, but that benefit reverses after six weeks and pain often comes back [6]. If your symptoms have lasted less than 12 months, steroid injections are generally not recommended [7]. Other treatments may hold up better over time: platelet-rich plasma (a preparation made from your own blood) showed no advantage over steroids in the first month, but did better at 3 and 6 months [8].

For trigger finger, the type of steroid matters. One study found betamethasone failed sooner than triamcinolone when used as a first injection [9]. For rotator cuff problems, steroids helped more in the short term, while platelet-rich plasma seemed better for longer-term recovery [10]. Research also found no clear evidence that a single injection before rotator cuff repair surgery raises the risk of the repair failing or of infection [11].

Some questions remain open. There is no strong evidence that using ultrasound or other imaging to guide the needle improves results for thumb base arthritis [12]. And people with diabetes have a lower chance of success from a single de Quervain injection, though repeat injections keep working [13].

What are the risks?

Most people notice only short-term effects at the injection site. The needle itself can hurt, and research on trigger finger found that mixing the steroid with a numbing medicine (lidocaine) reduced pain during and shortly after the injection, though the difference may not matter much in practice [1]. Some effects show up later. For tennis elbow, studies found steroid injections can cause calcium to build up in the soft tissue at the site, and this is likely a complication of the injection itself [2].

The medicine can also affect other parts of your body. If you have type 2 diabetes and do not use insulin, a shoulder injection can raise your blood sugar levels significantly for a short time [3]. If you have diabetes and are having treatment for de Quervain disease, a single injection has a lower chance of success than for people without diabetes, though repeat injections keep working [4].

Some worries have been looked at directly and not borne out. For rotator cuff repair, research found no clear evidence that injections raise the risk of the repair tearing again or of infection [5]. For carpal tunnel release surgery, an injection beforehand, at any timepoint studied, was not linked to a higher rate of deep infection afterwards [6]. Repeated injections for carpal tunnel syndrome were found to be safe, and they did not make later surgery harder or riskier [7].

How often an injection can be given depends on the condition. For trigger finger, one study found no complications when 4 mg of triamcinolone was given at intervals of at least 1 month [8]. For rotator cuff repair, injections should wait until at least the first postoperative month to lower the chance of adverse events [9]. For de Quervain disease, targeting one smaller tendon compartment can allow a lower steroid dose, which may reduce complications [10].

The evidence on some points is limited or mixed, and your doctor will weigh what is known against your specific condition before recommending an injection.

Is it right for you?

An injection may suit you if you want short-term relief while other treatments, such as splinting or hand therapy, get to work. It tends to help most where swelling is the main driver of your pain, and for some problems it can put off or avoid surgery for a while. For arthritis at the base of the thumb, research found injections are a practical choice because they work, they are simple to give and they are easy to have [1].

It may not suit you if your symptoms have lasted a long time. For tennis elbow, steroid injections are generally not recommended if your symptoms have lasted less than 12 months [2]. And where pain tends to return, such as with tennis elbow, you and your doctor may weigh other options that hold up better over months rather than weeks. Research comparing the two found steroids beat platelet-rich plasma at 1 month for tennis elbow, but platelet-rich plasma did better at 6 months [3].

Repeated injections are an option for some conditions. For carpal tunnel syndrome, research found having them more than once is safe and does not make later release surgery harder or riskier [4].

Deciding is a shared step. Your doctor will look at your condition, your diabetes status if that applies to you, and your goals, then talk through whether an injection, another treatment or surgery fits best. The risks section above covers what can go wrong, so read that before you decide.

The bottom line

A cortisone injection is worth considering when you want relief while other treatments get to work. For some problems, such as frozen shoulder, it eases pain and helps you move [1]. For others, such as tennis elbow, the relief fades quickly and pain often returns [2]. The most important caveat: ask how long the benefit is likely to last for your condition, and what you would do next if the pain comes back.

Reviewed by Kieran Hirpara · 13 June 2026.

Want the clinical detail? Read the clinician version.

Talk to your treating clinician for advice specific to you.

For an appointment with the CQ Hand + Upper Limb team, ask your GP about a referral or visit www.cqupperlimb.com.

References
  1. Intra-articular Steroid Injection for Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials With Trial Sequential Analysis. *The American Journal of Sports Medicine*. 2016. 10.1177/0363546516669944
  2. Prospective randomized comparison of ultrasonography-guided and blind corticosteroid injection for de Quervain's disease. *Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research*. 2020. 10.1016/j.otsr.2019.11.015
  3. Intra-Articular Corticosteroid Injections to Manage Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis—a Systematic Review. *HAND*. 2015. 10.1007/s11552-015-9778-3
  4. Corticosteroid Injection for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. *The Journal of Hand Surgery*. 2008. 10.1016/j.jhsa.2008.06.023
  5. Cochrane corner: local corticosteroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome. *Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume)*. 2013. 10.1177/1753193413490848
  6. Mobilisation with movement and exercise, corticosteroid injection, or wait and see for tennis elbow: randomised trial. *BMJ*. 2006. 10.1136/bmj.38961.584653.ae
  7. Stop injecting corticosteroid into patients with tennis elbow, they are much more likely to get better by themselves!. *Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport*. 2010. 10.1016/j.jsams.2009.09.009
  8. Corticosteroid injections for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis are superior to platelet-rich plasma at 1 month but platelet-rich plasma is more effective at 6 months: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of level 1 and 2 studies. *Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery*. 2023. 10.1016/j.jse.2023.04.018
  9. The Effect of Corticosteroid Type on Failure Following Primary Trigger Finger Injection. *The Journal of Hand Surgery*. 2026. 10.1016/j.jhsa.2026.03.011
  10. Comparison of the effects of platelet-rich plasma and corticosteroid injection in rotator cuff disease treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. *Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery*. 2023. 10.1016/j.jse.2023.01.037
  11. Do Corticosteroid Injections Before or After Primary Rotator Cuff Repair Influence the Incidence of Adverse Events? A Subjective Synthesis. *Arthroscopy*. 2020. 10.1016/j.arthro.2020.01.039
  12. Guided steroid injection for thumb carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) osteoarthritis: A scoping review. *Hand Therapy*. 2026. 10.1177/17589983261430876
  13. Effectiveness of Corticosteroid Injections in Diabetic Patients With De Quervain Tenosynovitis. *The Journal of Hand Surgery*. 2022. 10.1016/j.jhsa.2022.02.018
  14. Corticosteroid Injection With and Without Local Anesthetic for the Treatment of Trigger Finger: A Randomized Clinical Trial. *The Journal of Hand Surgery*. 2025. 10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.05.016
  15. Association of steroid injection with soft-tissue calcification in lateral epicondylitis. *Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery*. 2019. 10.1016/j.jse.2018.10.009
  16. The effect of steroid injection into the shoulder on glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. *JSES International*. 2022. 10.1016/j.jseint.2022.05.016
  17. Ipsilateral Preoperative Corticosteroid Injection and Timing Not Associated With Postoperative Deep Infection After Carpal Tunnel Release. *Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons*. 2025. 10.5435/jaaos-d-25-00317
  18. The safety and cost of repeated corticosteroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome. *Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume)*. 2025. 10.1177/17531934251396629
  19. Safety and Efficacy of Low-Dose Triamcinolone Injection without Injection Frequency Limitation for Trigger Finger. *Journal of Hand Surgery Global Online*. 2025. 10.1016/j.jhsg.2025.01.005
  20. Corticosteroid Injections After Rotator Cuff Repair Improve Function, Reduce Pain, and Are Safe: A Systematic Review. *Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation*. 2021. 10.1016/j.asmr.2021.10.010
  21. Is a Steroid Injection in Both Compartments More Effective than an Injection in the Extensor Pollicis Brevis Subcompartment Alone in Patients with de Quervain Disease? A Randomized, Controlled Trial. *Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research*. 2021. 10.1097/corr.0000000000002018
  22. Efficacy of Intra-Articular Corticosteroid Injection for Nonsurgical Management of Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. *The Journal of Hand Surgery*. 2024. 10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.02.001
Evidence & references

This is the clinical evidence summary written for health professionals. It is technical, and it lists the research this page was built from. You do not need to read it to understand your treatment or to make a decision about it.

Overview

Efficacy by Condition

  • Corticosteroid injections are effective in 57% of patients with trigger finger [10].
  • Corticosteroid injections provide benefit by relieving pain and improving functional outcome scores in rotator cuff repair patients [3].
  • Corticosteroids are a favorable option for the management of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis given their affordability, ease of administration, and efficacy [11].
  • When corticosteroid injection is used to treat adhesive capsulitis, both intra-articular and subacromial injection sites can be selected [15].

Steroid Type and Dosing

  • Betamethasone injections resulted in a significantly shorter time to failure than triamcinolone injections for primary trigger finger [1].
  • Triamcinolone is supported as a more viable corticosteroid option for shoulder injection compared to methylprednisolone [4].
  • An injection targeting the extensor pollicis brevis subcompartment alone in de Quervain disease can reduce the dose of steroids used, potentially decreasing complications [8].
  • No complications were observed for 4 mg triamcinolone injections for trigger finger when administered at intervals of at least 1 month [12].

Safety and Timing

  • Corticosteroid injections should be administered only after the first postoperative month following rotator cuff repair to minimize the potential risk for adverse events [2].
  • An interval of at least three months is recommended between corticosteroid injection and shoulder arthroplasty [19].
  • There were no conclusive data to suggest an increased risk of retear or infection with corticosteroid injection use based on a subjective synthesis of ranges [5].

Contraindications

  • Corticosteroid injections should not be used to treat most patients with tennis elbow with symptom duration of less than 12 months [6].

How It Works

Efficacy and Outcomes by Condition

  • Local corticosteroid injection provides greater clinical improvement in symptoms 1 month after injection compared with placebo for carpal tunnel syndrome [13].
  • Local corticosteroid injection provides significantly greater improvement than oral corticosteroid for up to 3 months for carpal tunnel syndrome [13].
  • Local corticosteroid injection does not significantly improve outcomes compared with anti-inflammatory treatment, splinting, or laser treatment beyond 8 weeks for carpal tunnel syndrome [13].
  • Corticosteroid injections provide benefit by relieving pain and improving functional outcome scores after rotator cuff repair [3].
  • The significant short term benefits of corticosteroid injection for tennis elbow are reversed after six weeks, with high recurrence rates [9].
  • Combining a corticosteroid injection with exercise is not superior to exercise or no exercise for plantar fasciopathy [7].

Steroid Type and Dosing

  • An injection targeting the extensor pollicis brevis subcompartment alone can reduce the dose of steroids used in de Quervain disease [8].

Safety and Complications

  • No complications were observed for 4 mg triamcinolone injections when administered at intervals of at least 1 month for trigger finger [12].
  • Local corticosteroid injection to the shoulder can create a significant, short-term increase in systemic glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes not treated with insulin [20].
  • Serial saline solution injections are a promising, cost-effective, and low-risk treatment option for subcutaneous lipoatrophy and skin depigmentation following cortisone injection in the elbow [17].

Timing and Surgical Context

  • Corticosteroid injections should be administered only after the first postoperative month to minimize the potential risk for adverse events following rotator cuff repair [2].
  • Preoperative corticosteroid injection at all studied timepoints was not associated with an increased risk of postoperative deep infection after carpal tunnel release [16].

Contraindications and Cautions

  • Corticosteroid injection for tennis elbow should be used with caution due to high recurrence rates after six weeks [9].

What the Evidence Shows

Trigger Finger

  • Betamethasone injections resulted in a significantly shorter time to failure than triamcinolone injections [1].
  • There is a statistically significant difference in pain during and shortly after injection when using a steroid with lidocaine versus steroid alone, but that difference may not be clinically relevant [27].

Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)

  • The significant short term benefits of corticosteroid injection are paradoxically reversed after six weeks, with high recurrence rates, implying that this treatment should be used with caution in the management of tennis elbow [9].
  • A single, blinded injection of corticosteroid medication was associated with poorer long-term outcomes and higher recurrence rates 1 year after receiving an injection in patients with unilateral lateral epicondylalgia [22].
  • Corticosteroid injections for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis are superior to platelet-rich plasma at 1 month [18].
  • Platelet-rich plasma is more effective than corticosteroid injections at 6 months for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis [18].
  • Platelet-rich plasma is superior to corticosteroid injections at 3 months for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis [18].

Rotator Cuff

  • Corticosteroid injections provide benefit by relieving pain and improving functional outcome scores in rotator cuff disease [3].
  • There were no conclusive data to suggest an increased risk of retear or infection with corticosteroid injection use based on a subjective synthesis of ranges regarding rotator cuff repair [5].
  • Timing of a single preoperative corticosteroid injection within 1 year of rotator cuff repair did not significantly affect failure rates, patient-reported outcomes, range of motion, or strength [26].
  • Corticosteroids have better efficacy in short term for rotator cuff disease treatment compared to platelet-rich plasma [23].
  • Platelet-rich plasma is more beneficial for longterm recovery in rotator cuff disease treatment compared to corticosteroids [23].

Shoulder (General)

  • Intra-articular steroid injection is effective and safe for frozen shoulder, relieving pain, improving functional performance, and increasing range of motion [25].

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  • Local corticosteroid injection provides greater clinical improvement in symptoms 1 month after injection compared with placebo [13].
  • Corticosteroid injection is safe and effective for the temporary relief of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms [24].
  • Most patients with carpal tunnel syndrome will eventually require surgery for long-term control of their symptoms despite corticosteroid injection [24].

Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint

  • Corticosteroids are a favorable option when considering the choice of intra-articular injection for the management of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis given their affordability, ease of administration, and efficacy [11].
  • There is lack of robust evidence to support use of image guidance to improve accuracy and clinical effectiveness of steroid injection for thumb carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis [14].

Plantar Fasciopathy

  • Combining a corticosteroid injection with exercise is not superior to exercise or no exercise for patients with plantar fasciopathy [7].

Practical Considerations

Steroid Selection and Dosing

  • An injection targeting the extensor pollicis brevis subcompartment alone in de Quervain disease can reduce the dose of steroids used, potentially decreasing complications related to steroid injections [8].

Timing and Frequency

  • Corticosteroid injections after rotator cuff repair should be administered only after the first postoperative month to minimize the potential risk for adverse events [2].

Efficacy and Outcomes

  • Corticosteroid injections provide benefit by relieving pain and improving functional outcome scores following rotator cuff repair [3].
  • Combining a corticosteroid injection with exercise for plantar fasciopathy is not superior to exercise or no exercise [7].
  • Corticosteroids are a favorable option for intra-articular injection in the management of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis given their affordability, ease of administration, and efficacy [11].
  • Platelet-rich plasma has no advantage over steroid injections within the first month of treatment for lateral epicondylitis, but it is superior to steroids at both 3 and 6 months [18].

Safety and Complications

  • There were no conclusive data to suggest an increased risk of retear or infection with corticosteroid injection use before or after primary rotator cuff repair based on a subjective synthesis of ranges [5].
  • Corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid injections remain a safe treatment option regarding the risk of severe adverse events requiring hospitalization [21].

Imaging Guidance

  • There is a lack of robust evidence to support the use of image guidance to improve accuracy and clinical effectiveness of steroid injection for thumb carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis [14].

Key Evidence

  • [L3] Betamethasone injections resulted in a significantly shorter time to failure than triamcinolone injections. [1] (10.1016/j.jhsa.2026.03.011)
  • [L1] Corticosteroid injections should be administered only after the first postoperative month to minimize the potential risk for adverse events. [2] (10.1016/j.asmr.2021.10.010)
  • [L4] Corticosteroid injections provide benefit by relieving pain and improving functional outcome scores. [3] (10.1016/j.arthro.2020.04.044)
  • [L2] This study supports TA as a more viable corticosteroid option for shoulder injection. [4] (10.1016/j.jse.2023.05.023)
  • [L3] There were no conclusive data to suggest an increased risk of retear or infection with corticosteroid injection use based on a subjective synthesis of ranges. [5] (10.1016/j.arthro.2020.01.039)
  • [Paper] Corticosteroid injections should not be used to treat most patients with tennis elbow with symptom duration of less than 12 months. [6] (10.1016/j.jsams.2009.09.009)
  • [L1] The results indicate that combining a corticosteroid injection with exercise is not superior to exercise or no exercise. [7] (10.1136/bjsports-2023-106948)
  • [L1] An injection targeting the EPB subcompartment alone can reduce the dose of steroids used, perhaps thereby decreasing complications related to steroid injections. [8] (10.1097/corr.0000000000002018)
  • [L1] The significant short term benefits of corticosteroid injection are paradoxically reversed after six weeks, with high recurrence rates, implying that this treatment should be used with caution in the management of tennis elbow. [9] (10.1136/bmj.38961.584653.ae)
  • [L1] Corticosteroid injections are effective in 57% of patients with trigger finger. [10] (10.5435/00124635-200703000-00006)
  • [L1] Given the affordability, ease of administration, and efficacy associated with corticosteroids, they are a favorable option when considering the choice of intra-articular injection for the management of TMC OA. [11] (10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.02.001)
  • [L4] No complications were observed for 4 mg triamcinolone injections when administered at intervals of at least 1 month. [12] (10.1016/j.jhsg.2025.01.005)
  • [L1] Local corticosteroid injection provides greater clinical improvement in symptoms 1 month after injection compared with placebo and significantly greater improvement than oral corticosteroid for up to 3 months, but does not significantly improve outcomes compared with anti-inflammatory treatment, splinting, or laser treatment beyond 8 weeks. [13] (10.1177/1753193413490848)
  • [L4] However, there is lack of robust evidence to support use of image guidance to improve accuracy and clinical effectiveness of steroid injection for thumb CMCJ and warrants further research. [14] (10.1177/17589983261430876)
  • [L1] When corticosteroid injection is used to treat adhesive capsulitis, both injection sites can be selected. [15] (10.1155/2019/1274790)
  • [L3] Preoperative corticosteroid injection at all studied timepoints was not associated with an increased risk of postoperative deep infection, a divergence from existing literature. [16] (10.5435/jaaos-d-25-00317)
  • [L4] Serial saline solution injections are a promising, cost-effective, and low-risk treatment option for subcutaneous lipoatrophy and skin depigmentation following cortisone injection in the elbow. [17] (10.1016/j.jseint.2020.08.009)
  • [L1] PRP has no advantage over steroid injections within the first month of treatment, but it is superior to steroids at both 3 and 6 months. [18] (10.1016/j.jse.2023.04.018)
  • [L1] Thus, an interval of at least three months is recommended between injection and arthroplasty. [19] (10.1177/17585732241261659)
  • [L2] Local corticosteroid injection to the shoulder can create a significant, short-term increase in systemic glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes not treated with insulin. [20] (10.1016/j.jseint.2022.05.016)
  • [L2] Corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid injections remain a safe treatment option regarding the risk of severe adverse events requiring hospitalization. [21] (10.1186/s12891-026-09752-7)
  • [L1] A single, blinded injection of corticosteroid medication was associated with poorer long-term outcomes and higher recurrence rates 1 year after receiving an injection in patients with unilateral lateral epicondylalgia. [22] (10.1001/jama.2013.129)
  • [L1] Current analysis showed that corticosteroids have better efficacy in short term, whereas PRP is more beneficial for longterm recovery. [23] (10.1016/j.jse.2023.01.037)
  • [L5] Corticosteroid injection is safe and effective for the temporary relief of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, but most patients will eventually require surgery for long-term control of their symptoms. [24] (10.1016/j.jhsa.2008.06.023)
  • [L1] Intra-articular steroid injection is effective and safe for frozen shoulder, relieving pain, improving functional performance, and increasing range of motion. [25] (10.1177/0363546516669944)
  • [L2] Timing of a single preoperative corticosteroid injection within 1 year of rotator cuff repair did not significantly affect failure rates, patient-reported outcomes, range of motion, or strength, suggesting that one injection before repair does not strongly influence outcomes. [26] (10.1016/j.jseint.2026.101632)
  • [L2] There is a statistically significant difference in pain during and shortly after injection when using a steroid with lidocaine versus steroid alone, but that difference may not be clinically relevant. [27] (10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.05.016)

References

[1] The Effect of Corticosteroid Type on Failure Following Primary Trigger Finger Injection. The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2026.03.011

[2] Corticosteroid Injections After Rotator Cuff Repair Improve Function, Reduce Pain, and Are Safe: A Systematic Review. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation. 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.asmr.2021.10.010

[3] Corticosteroid Injections May Increase Retear and Revision Rates of Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review. Arthroscopy. 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2020.04.044

[4] Comparison of triamcinolone and methylprednisolone efficacy and steroid flare reaction rates after shoulder corticosteroid injection: a prospective interrupted time series study. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2023.05.023

[5] Do Corticosteroid Injections Before or After Primary Rotator Cuff Repair Influence the Incidence of Adverse Events? A Subjective Synthesis. Arthroscopy. 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2020.01.039

[6] Stop injecting corticosteroid into patients with tennis elbow, they are much more likely to get better by themselves!. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2010. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2009.09.009

[7] Does a corticosteroid injection plus exercise or exercise alone add to the effect of patient advice and a heel cup for patients with plantar fasciopathy? A randomised clinical trial. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2023. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2023-106948

[8] Is a Steroid Injection in Both Compartments More Effective than an Injection in the Extensor Pollicis Brevis Subcompartment Alone in Patients with de Quervain Disease? A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research. 2021. DOI: 10.1097/corr.0000000000002018

[9] Mobilisation with movement and exercise, corticosteroid injection, or wait and see for tennis elbow: randomised trial. BMJ. 2006. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.38961.584653.ae

[10] Corticosteroid Injections in the Treatment of Trigger Finger: A Level I and II Systematic Review. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2007. DOI: 10.5435/00124635-200703000-00006

[11] Efficacy of Intra-Articular Corticosteroid Injection for Nonsurgical Management of Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.02.001

[12] Safety and Efficacy of Low-Dose Triamcinolone Injection without Injection Frequency Limitation for Trigger Finger. Journal of Hand Surgery Global Online. 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsg.2025.01.005

[13] Cochrane corner: local corticosteroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome. Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume). 2013. DOI: 10.1177/1753193413490848

[14] Guided steroid injection for thumb carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) osteoarthritis: A scoping review. Hand Therapy. 2026. DOI: 10.1177/17589983261430876

[15] Intra-Articular versus Subacromial Corticosteroid Injection for the Treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review. BioMed Research International. 2019. DOI: 10.1155/2019/1274790

[16] Ipsilateral Preoperative Corticosteroid Injection and Timing Not Associated With Postoperative Deep Infection After Carpal Tunnel Release. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2025. DOI: 10.5435/jaaos-d-25-00317

[17] Serial saline solution injections for the treatment of lipoatrophy and depigmentation after corticosteroid injection for medial epicondylitis. JSES International. 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.jseint.2020.08.009

[18] Corticosteroid injections for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis are superior to platelet-rich plasma at 1 month but platelet-rich plasma is more effective at 6 months: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of level 1 and 2 studies. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2023.04.018

[19] The safety of corticosteroid injection prior to shoulder arthroplasty: A systematic review. Shoulder & Elbow. 2024. DOI: 10.1177/17585732241261659

[20] The effect of steroid injection into the shoulder on glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. JSES International. 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.jseint.2022.05.016

[21] Safety of intra-articular corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid injections: a 14-year population-based cohort study of 404,797 patients. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2026. DOI: 10.1186/s12891-026-09752-7

[22] Effect of Corticosteroid Injection, Physiotherapy, or Both on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Unilateral Lateral Epicondylalgia. JAMA. 2013. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2013.129

[23] Comparison of the effects of platelet-rich plasma and corticosteroid injection in rotator cuff disease treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2023.01.037

[24] Corticosteroid Injection for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2008. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2008.06.023

[25] Intra-articular Steroid Injection for Frozen Shoulder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials With Trial Sequential Analysis. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2016. DOI: 10.1177/0363546516669944

[26] Timing of corticosteroid injection within 1 year prior to rotator cuff repair was not associated with increased risk of repair failure. JSES International. 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.jseint.2026.101632

[27] Corticosteroid Injection With and Without Local Anesthetic for the Treatment of Trigger Finger: A Randomized Clinical Trial. The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.05.016

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Creative Commons Corporation ("Creative Commons") is not a law firm and does not provide legal services or legal advice. Distribution of Creative Commons public licenses does not create a lawyer-client or other relationship. Creative Commons makes its licenses and related information available on an "as-is" basis. Creative Commons gives no warranties regarding its licenses, any material licensed under their terms and conditions, or any related information. Creative Commons disclaims all liability for damages resulting from their use to the fullest extent possible.

Using Creative Commons Public Licenses

Creative Commons public licenses provide a standard set of terms and conditions that creators and other rights holders may use to share original works of authorship and other material subject to copyright and certain other rights specified in the public license below. The following considerations are for informational purposes only, are not exhaustive, and do not form part of our licenses.

Considerations for licensors: Our public licenses are intended for use by those authorized to give the public permission to use material in ways otherwise restricted by copyright and certain other rights. Our licenses are irrevocable. Licensors should read and understand the terms and conditions of the license they choose before applying it. Licensors should also secure all rights necessary before applying our licenses so that the public can reuse the material as expected. Licensors should clearly mark any material not subject to the license. This includes other CC- licensed material, or material used under an exception or limitation to copyright. More considerations for licensors: wiki.creativecommons.org/Considerations_for_licensors

Considerations for the public: By using one of our public licenses, a licensor grants the public permission to use the licensed material under specified terms and conditions. If the licensor's permission is not necessary for any reason--for example, because of any applicable exception or limitation to copyright--then that use is not regulated by the license. Our licenses grant only permissions under copyright and certain other rights that a licensor has authority to grant. Use of the licensed material may still be restricted for other reasons, including because others have copyright or other rights in the material. A licensor may make special requests, such as asking that all changes be marked or described. Although not required by our licenses, you are encouraged to respect those requests where reasonable. More considerations for the public: wiki.creativecommons.org/Considerations_for_licensees

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Public License

By exercising the Licensed Rights (defined below), You accept and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Public License ("Public License"). To the extent this Public License may be interpreted as a contract, You are granted the Licensed Rights in consideration of Your acceptance of these terms and conditions, and the Licensor grants You such rights in consideration of benefits the Licensor receives from making the Licensed Material available under these terms and conditions.

Section 1 -- Definitions.

a. Adapted Material means material subject to Copyright and Similar Rights that is derived from or based upon the Licensed Material and in which the Licensed Material is translated, altered, arranged, transformed, or otherwise modified in a manner requiring permission under the Copyright and Similar Rights held by the Licensor. For purposes of this Public License, where the Licensed Material is a musical work, performance, or sound recording, Adapted Material is always produced where the Licensed Material is synched in timed relation with a moving image.

b. Adapter's License means the license You apply to Your Copyright and Similar Rights in Your contributions to Adapted Material in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Public License.

c. Copyright and Similar Rights means copyright and/or similar rights closely related to copyright including, without limitation, performance, broadcast, sound recording, and Sui Generis Database Rights, without regard to how the rights are labeled or categorized. For purposes of this Public License, the rights specified in Section 2(b)(1)-(2) are not Copyright and Similar Rights.

d. Effective Technological Measures means those measures that, in the absence of proper authority, may not be circumvented under laws fulfilling obligations under Article 11 of the WIPO Copyright Treaty adopted on December 20, 1996, and/or similar international agreements.

e. Exceptions and Limitations means fair use, fair dealing, and/or any other exception or limitation to Copyright and Similar Rights that applies to Your use of the Licensed Material.

f. Licensed Material means the artistic or literary work, database, or other material to which the Licensor applied this Public License.

g. Licensed Rights means the rights granted to You subject to the terms and conditions of this Public License, which are limited to all Copyright and Similar Rights that apply to Your use of the Licensed Material and that the Licensor has authority to license.

h. Licensor means the individual(s) or entity(ies) granting rights under this Public License.

i. NonCommercial means not primarily intended for or directed towards commercial advantage or monetary compensation. For purposes of this Public License, the exchange of the Licensed Material for other material subject to Copyright and Similar Rights by digital file-sharing or similar means is NonCommercial provided there is no payment of monetary compensation in connection with the exchange.

j. Share means to provide material to the public by any means or process that requires permission under the Licensed Rights, such as reproduction, public display, public performance, distribution, dissemination, communication, or importation, and to make material available to the public including in ways that members of the public may access the material from a place and at a time individually chosen by them.

k. Sui Generis Database Rights means rights other than copyright resulting from Directive 96/9/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 1996 on the legal protection of databases, as amended and/or succeeded, as well as other essentially equivalent rights anywhere in the world.

l. You means the individual or entity exercising the Licensed Rights under this Public License. Your has a corresponding meaning.

Section 2 -- Scope.

a. License grant.

1. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Public License, the Licensor hereby grants You a worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, irrevocable license to exercise the Licensed Rights in the Licensed Material to:

a. reproduce and Share the Licensed Material, in whole or in part, for NonCommercial purposes only; and

b. produce, reproduce, and Share Adapted Material for NonCommercial purposes only.

2. Exceptions and Limitations. For the avoidance of doubt, where Exceptions and Limitations apply to Your use, this Public License does not apply, and You do not need to comply with its terms and conditions.

3. Term. The term of this Public License is specified in Section 6(a).

4. Media and formats; technical modifications allowed. The Licensor authorizes You to exercise the Licensed Rights in all media and formats whether now known or hereafter created, and to make technical modifications necessary to do so. The Licensor waives and/or agrees not to assert any right or authority to forbid You from making technical modifications necessary to exercise the Licensed Rights, including technical modifications necessary to circumvent Effective Technological Measures. For purposes of this Public License, simply making modifications authorized by this Section 2(a) (4) never produces Adapted Material.

5. Downstream recipients.

a. Offer from the Licensor -- Licensed Material. Every recipient of the Licensed Material automatically receives an offer from the Licensor to exercise the Licensed Rights under the terms and conditions of this Public License.

b. No downstream restrictions. You may not offer or impose any additional or different terms or conditions on, or apply any Effective Technological Measures to, the Licensed Material if doing so restricts exercise of the Licensed Rights by any recipient of the Licensed Material.

6. No endorsement. Nothing in this Public License constitutes or may be construed as permission to assert or imply that You are, or that Your use of the Licensed Material is, connected with, or sponsored, endorsed, or granted official status by, the Licensor or others designated to receive attribution as provided in Section 3(a)(1)(A)(i).

b. Other rights.

1. Moral rights, such as the right of integrity, are not licensed under this Public License, nor are publicity, privacy, and/or other similar personality rights; however, to the extent possible, the Licensor waives and/or agrees not to assert any such rights held by the Licensor to the limited extent necessary to allow You to exercise the Licensed Rights, but not otherwise.

2. Patent and trademark rights are not licensed under this Public License.

3. To the extent possible, the Licensor waives any right to collect royalties from You for the exercise of the Licensed Rights, whether directly or through a collecting society under any voluntary or waivable statutory or compulsory licensing scheme. In all other cases the Licensor expressly reserves any right to collect such royalties, including when the Licensed Material is used other than for NonCommercial purposes.

Section 3 -- License Conditions.

Your exercise of the Licensed Rights is expressly made subject to the following conditions.

a. Attribution.

1. If You Share the Licensed Material (including in modified form), You must:

a. retain the following if it is supplied by the Licensor with the Licensed Material:

i. identification of the creator(s) of the Licensed Material and any others designated to receive attribution, in any reasonable manner requested by the Licensor (including by pseudonym if designated);

ii. a copyright notice;

iii. a notice that refers to this Public License;

iv. a notice that refers to the disclaimer of warranties;

v. a URI or hyperlink to the Licensed Material to the extent reasonably practicable;

b. indicate if You modified the Licensed Material and retain an indication of any previous modifications; and

c. indicate the Licensed Material is licensed under this Public License, and include the text of, or the URI or hyperlink to, this Public License.

2. You may satisfy the conditions in Section 3(a)(1) in any reasonable manner based on the medium, means, and context in which You Share the Licensed Material. For example, it may be reasonable to satisfy the conditions by providing a URI or hyperlink to a resource that includes the required information.

3. If requested by the Licensor, You must remove any of the information required by Section 3(a)(1)(A) to the extent reasonably practicable.

4. If You Share Adapted Material You produce, the Adapter's License You apply must not prevent recipients of the Adapted Material from complying with this Public License.

Section 4 -- Sui Generis Database Rights.

Where the Licensed Rights include Sui Generis Database Rights that apply to Your use of the Licensed Material:

a. for the avoidance of doubt, Section 2(a)(1) grants You the right to extract, reuse, reproduce, and Share all or a substantial portion of the contents of the database for NonCommercial purposes only;

b. if You include all or a substantial portion of the database contents in a database in which You have Sui Generis Database Rights, then the database in which You have Sui Generis Database Rights (but not its individual contents) is Adapted Material; and

c. You must comply with the conditions in Section 3(a) if You Share all or a substantial portion of the contents of the database.

For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 4 supplements and does not replace Your obligations under this Public License where the Licensed Rights include other Copyright and Similar Rights.

Section 5 -- Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability.

a. UNLESS OTHERWISE SEPARATELY UNDERTAKEN BY THE LICENSOR, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, THE LICENSOR OFFERS THE LICENSED MATERIAL AS-IS AND AS-AVAILABLE, AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND CONCERNING THE LICENSED MATERIAL, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHER. THIS INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ABSENCE OF LATENT OR OTHER DEFECTS, ACCURACY, OR THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF ERRORS, WHETHER OR NOT KNOWN OR DISCOVERABLE. WHERE DISCLAIMERS OF WARRANTIES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS DISCLAIMER MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

b. TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN NO EVENT WILL THE LICENSOR BE LIABLE TO YOU ON ANY LEGAL THEORY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR OTHER LOSSES, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS PUBLIC LICENSE OR USE OF THE LICENSED MATERIAL, EVEN IF THE LICENSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSSES, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DAMAGES. WHERE A LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS NOT ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

c. The disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability provided above shall be interpreted in a manner that, to the extent possible, most closely approximates an absolute disclaimer and waiver of all liability.

Section 6 -- Term and Termination.

a. This Public License applies for the term of the Copyright and Similar Rights licensed here. However, if You fail to comply with this Public License, then Your rights under this Public License terminate automatically.

b. Where Your right to use the Licensed Material has terminated under Section 6(a), it reinstates:

1. automatically as of the date the violation is cured, provided it is cured within 30 days of Your discovery of the violation; or

2. upon express reinstatement by the Licensor.

For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 6(b) does not affect any right the Licensor may have to seek remedies for Your violations of this Public License.

c. For the avoidance of doubt, the Licensor may also offer the Licensed Material under separate terms or conditions or stop distributing the Licensed Material at any time; however, doing so will not terminate this Public License.

d. Sections 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8 survive termination of this Public License.

Section 7 -- Other Terms and Conditions.

a. The Licensor shall not be bound by any additional or different terms or conditions communicated by You unless expressly agreed.

b. Any arrangements, understandings, or agreements regarding the Licensed Material not stated herein are separate from and independent of the terms and conditions of this Public License.

Section 8 -- Interpretation.

a. For the avoidance of doubt, this Public License does not, and shall not be interpreted to, reduce, limit, restrict, or impose conditions on any use of the Licensed Material that could lawfully be made without permission under this Public License.

b. To the extent possible, if any provision of this Public License is deemed unenforceable, it shall be automatically reformed to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable. If the provision cannot be reformed, it shall be severed from this Public License without affecting the enforceability of the remaining terms and conditions.

c. No term or condition of this Public License will be waived and no failure to comply consented to unless expressly agreed to by the Licensor.

d. Nothing in this Public License constitutes or may be interpreted as a limitation upon, or waiver of, any privileges and immunities that apply to the Licensor or You, including from the legal processes of any jurisdiction or authority.

Creative Commons is not a party to its public licenses. Notwithstanding, Creative Commons may elect to apply one of its public licenses to material it publishes and in those instances will be considered the “Licensor.” The text of the Creative Commons public licenses is dedicated to the public domain under the CC0 Public Domain Dedication. Except for the limited purpose of indicating that material is shared under a Creative Commons public license or as otherwise permitted by the Creative Commons policies published at creativecommons.org/policies, Creative Commons does not authorize the use of the trademark "Creative Commons" or any other trademark or logo of Creative Commons without its prior written consent including, without limitation, in connection with any unauthorized modifications to any of its public licenses or any other arrangements, understandings, or agreements concerning use of licensed material. For the avoidance of doubt, this paragraph does not form part of the public licenses.

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