PRP Injections

What is PRP?

Blood, or plasma, contains red cells, white cells, and platelets. Platelets contain proteins known as growth factors, which are vital components of your body’s natural healing system. PRP is a concentrated form of blood that contains an excessive amount of platelets. There are also many more growth factors found in platelet-rich plasma, 5-10 times more than would be found in a typical blood sample.

How do you get PRP?

Platelet-rich plasma is created by drawing a small amount of your blood into a syringe. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge, which separates the platelets from the rest of the liquid. This concentration of platelets is then injected into the damaged tendon, joint, or other area being treated.

How does PRP work?

Research is ongoing regarding the full benefits of PRP therapy in the orthopedic setting, but it’s known that growth factors are naturally-occurring substances that stimulate cellular growth and healing. It’s believed that injecting growth factors into damaged tendons or joints stimulates the production of new, healthy cells that work to repair damage caused by injury or chronic issues such as arthritis. Rather than being a standalone treatment for various musculoskeletal issues, it’s considered an additional tool to help with healing.  

What conditions can it help with?   

PRP therapy has been used to treat tendon injuries, including:

• Tennis elbow
• Inflammation of the patellar tendon
• Achilles tendinopathy

PRP has also proven beneficial when used to:

• Augment other treatments for rotator cuff tears
• Inject knee joints damaged by osteoarthritis
• Speed healing of ligamentous injuries
• Aid in treatment of hamstring injuries  

Is it safe?

There are very minimal risks associated with PRP therapy, especially since the injection material is obtained from your own blood. Athletes such as tennis star Rafael Nadal and several others have used PRP therapy in the past for chronic knee and tendon issues, each reporting a faster return to their sport than experienced in the past without harmful side effects.

PRP also is used in other medical disciplines, including dermatology for rejuvenating skin tissue and OB/GYN specialties for vaginal atrophy due to menopause. Reported side effects are minimal in these treatments, other than discomfort at the injection site which fades quickly.