Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is a type of Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatment that helps to speed the repair of injuries to damaged or degenerated tissues. For those involved in athletics or sports, PRP can be particularly helpful in healing sprains and strains in an efficient as well as effective manner. This is why for many elite and professional athletes PRP has become an important adjunct to recovery from the common tendon, ligament, muscle and joint problems associated with their sport.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is derived from your own blood plasma. Blood plasma is mainly composed of liquid but also contains red cells, white cells and platelets. Platelets are typically associated with the clotting-and thus healing function of your blood and body. Platelets contain literally hundreds of proteins called “growth factors” which are critical to healing injuries. PRP is your own plasma that has been processed so as to increase the concentration of “growth factors” by some 5-10 times greater than your plasma by itself. Processing your plasma is accomplished by drawing a small amount of blood and placing in a centrifuge so the platelets are separated from the other cells in the plasma. This “platelet rich plasma” can be injected into the sprained, strained, damaged or degenerated area to promote more active healing of the tissue. Further, PRP injections can be combined with stem cell injections to create a powerful, pro-growth environment in damaged areas of the body.
Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine using platelet rich plasma (PRP) is often the nonsurgical treatment of choice to help patients heal and repair joint and soft-tissue injuries. Regenerative Orthopedic injections of PRP offer non-surgical treatment of injuries to cartilage or cartilage degeneration, including the facet joints of the spine and annular tears of the lumbar and cervical discs. Regenerative Orthopedic injections with PRP can treat tears of tendons such as the shoulder rotator cuff, patellar knee tendon, Achilles tendon, tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. PRP injections can also treat tears in ligaments including knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).
If you are seeking a minimally invasive alternative to surgery to allow you to return to normal daily activities, a fit and active lifestyle or perhaps perform better in the athletic and sports activities you wish to enjoy, Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatment with platelet rich plasma (PRP) may be the best option for you.