Orthopaedics

USING PLATELET-RICH PLASMA THERAPY FOR ORTHOPEDIC INJURIES

Typical resolutions for orthopedic injuries often involved invasive procedures, complicated surgeries with sometimes lengthy hospital stays, and a long road to recovery. Today, technology and medical science make it possible to undergo a variety of orthopedic procedures using minimally invasive techniques, so you can get back to your active lifestyle more quickly than ever. One such treatment option is the usage of platelet-rich plasma, or PRP. Although PRP therapy is a relative newcomer in the field of orthopedics, it has been used successfully for more than 20 years in many other fields of medicine.

Orthopedic PRP

PRP therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that takes advantage of the blood’s natural healing properties. The procedure involves extracting and isolating platelets and plasma from a sample of your own blood; the health care professional then concentrates it into a healing solution that is injected back into the body at (and around) the point of injury or pain. When the growth factors interact with the local cells, they trigger a healing process that promotes tissue formation and reduces inflammation, often also providing lubrication in the area.

PRP therapy is helping many athletes and active people who suffer from orthopedic conditions recover more quickly and, oftentimes, to avoid the need for surgery. Research has indicated that PRP therapy may be an effective form of treatment when conventional methods such as anti-inflammatories, cortisone injections, physical therapy, and even surgery have not worked successfully.

PRP therapy can be used to treat many orthopedic illnesses and injuries, including:

  • Soft-tissue injuries (e.g., tendons, ligaments, muscles)
  • Rotator cuff tears
  • Achilles tendon ruptures
  • Tendonitis
  • Tennis or golfer’s elbow
  • Arthritis
  • Hand injuries (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, skier’s thumb, and texting thumb)
  • Osteoarthritis (e.g., degenerative knee disease)

BENEFITS OF PRP THERAPY INCLUDE:

  • Use of the body’s own cells to stimulate the natural biological healing process
  • Minimal levels of invasiveness, with no surgical incisions involved
  • Good alternative for patients who cannot have surgery
  • Much faster recovery period versus surgery
  • Almost no risk of an allergic reaction or infection

START THE HEALING PROCESS TODAY

There are so many potential applications where PRP therapy can help with orthopedic injuries affecting the joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles, and other soft tissues in one’s body.

Reach out to your health care professional today to discuss how PRP can get you back on your feet or in the game quickly and ease the pain.

References:

  1. Platelet-Rich Plasma: From Basic Science to Clinical Applications
    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0363546509349921
  2. Comparison of growth factor and platelet concentration from commercial platelet-rich plasma separation systems
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21051428/
  3. A recently developed bifacial platelet-rich fibrin matrix
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20597062/
  4. Platelet-rich fibrin constructs elute higher concentrations of transforming growth factor-β1 and increase tendon cell proliferation over time when compared to blood clots: a comparative in vitro analysis
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20825593/
  5. Platelet-rich fibrin matrix improves wound angiogenesis via inducing endothelial cell proliferation
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22092846/
  6. The effect of thrombin activation of platelet-rich plasma on demineralized bone matrix osteoinductivity
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19487525/