Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a regenerative medicine treatment that accelerates your body’s natural healing process. Regenerative medicine techniques can help tissue damage when other approaches are not working.

Platelets are a vital part of your blood and a key factor in PRP. When an injury occurs, your body produces large quantities of platelets to help your blood clot. But they also contain various growth factors that begin the process of tissue healing, repairing tendons, ligaments, bone and skin. In concentrated amounts, these growth factors can further boost and accelerate your healing and recovery from an injury or degenerative condition.

Human platelets are extremely rich in connective tissue growth factors. Injecting growth factors into damaged tendons, ligaments, and joints stimulates a natural repair process. In order to benefit from these natural healing markers, the platelets must be concentrated in a special process called centrifugation where growth factors are concentrated until they’re 5-10 times richer than they normally appear in your blood. This dense concentration results in long-term pain relief. Our goal is to help a return to normal functioning and your ability to remain physically active.

PRP can be effective in treating arthritis, sprained ligaments, chronic tendonitis, tendinosis, acute and chronic muscle strains, muscle fibrosis and joint conditions. PRP is effective where corticosteroid or “cortisone” injections may have had minimal effectiveness or failure and as a first alternative to cortisone injections. Cortisone injections cannot be injected into weight bearing tendons such as patellar tendon of the knee and Achilles tendon because they can weaken the tendon and cause rupture. PRP can safely be used in these tendons. PRP has also been used during surgery to aid in the healing of tissues. It’s often a complement to other treatment methods and an excellent alternative to surgery.

KNEE PAIN
● Arthritis
● Patellar tendonitis/tendinosis
● Quadriceps muscle injuries
● Ligament sprains or tears
● Bursitis
● Swollen joints

HIP PAIN
● Piriformis syndrome
● Ischial bursitis
● Hamstring tendonitis or tears
● Greater trochanteric bursitis

LOWER LEG AND FOOT PAIN
● Plantar fasciitis
● Shin splints
● Peroneal tendonitis
● Achilles tendonitis or partial tears
● Ankle sprains

SHOULDER PAIN
● Rotator cuff tendonitis, tendinopathy or partial tears
● Bicipital tendonitis
● Acromio-calvicular joint pain or arthritis
● Bursitis
● Glenohumeral arthritis

ELBOW PAIN
● Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
● Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
● Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) sprain or tear, most common in throwing athletes
● Ulnar neuritis

WRIST AND HAND PAIN
● TFCC sprain or tear
● De Quervain tenosynovitis
● Sprained wrist
● Ganglion cyst
● Hand arthritis
● Trigger finger

Depending on the severity and duration of your injury, the treatment can involve one to three PRP injections. To be optimally effective, the PRP injection needs to go to the heart of the damaged tissue, where it can do the most good.

Atlantic Orthopedic and Sports Medicine specialists offer ultrasound guidance to ensure the PRP reaches the correct location. In both acute and chronic injuries, your treatment may be combined with an exercise program or physical therapy to enhance the success of the treatment.

You will be permitted to resume normal daily activities and light exercise following injection. If there’s anything you shouldn’t do, we will let you know, but in most cases, you don’t need to take any special precautions other than not overexerting the treated joint or tissue.

Following the initial injection, an achy feeling and/or soreness can be felt at the site of injury. This soreness and mild pain is a positive sign that your healing response has started. This effect can last several days and will gradually decrease as healing and tissue repair occurs.

It is important that anti-inflammatory medications (such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen) should be avoided following your treatments as they might block the effects of the intended healing response. Over the counter medications, such as Tyelnol and lidocaine patches, are acceptable to use.

A follow-up visit occurs 2-3 weeks post-PRP. In general, chronic injuries require more than one injection. A diagnostic ultrasound can be performed to assess the healing and response to your PRP treatment at all follow-up visits.

Unlike medication or anesthetic joint injections, PRP doesn’t work immediately. It takes time for the growth factors in the PRP to jump start the production of new cells in the damaged tissues. Therefore, healing can take around 6-8 weeks.

The advantage of PRP injections is that the results are longer lasting because the treatment targets the cause of your pain. PRP does not mask the pain like medications often do. With PRP treatment, you benefit from a more permanent solution to your chronic pain.

PRP can be used to treat both chronic and acute injuries and a range of conditions. It doesn’t involve invasive surgery or medications that may pose unwanted side effects. It’s also more affordable than many other treatment methods. Your body will not reject your own blood, so PRP therapy is both safe and effective.

Because the procedure takes less than 30 minutes, the therapy is a quick and convenient treatment.

Studies suggest an improvement of 80-85%. Some patients experience complete relief of their pain. The results are generally permanent. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med (2008) 1:165-174. Please ask for the most up to date information and studies. Start your healing journey with us today.