Platelet Rich Plasma Injections
Platelet-rich plasma or PRP is an “autologous blood therapy” that uses a patient’s own blood components to stimulate a healing response in damaged tissues.
In response to an injury or tissue damage, your body naturally recruits platelets and white blood cells from the blood to initiate a healing response. By enhancing the body’s natural healing capacity, the treatment may lead to a more rapid, more efficient, and more thorough restoration of the tissue to a healthy state.
California Sports and Orthopaedic Institute provides office based Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections for the treatment of chronic tendonitis, tendonosis, chronic muscle strain, muscle fibrosis, and ligamentous injuries.
What is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)?
Platelet-rich plasma or PRP is an “autologous blood therapy” that uses a patient’s own blood components to stimulate a healing response in damaged tissues. In response to an injury or tissue damage, your body naturally recruits platelets and white blood cells from the blood to initiate a healing response. By enhancing the body’s natural healing capacity, the treatment may lead to a more rapid, more efficient, and more thorough restoration of the tissue to a healthy state.
What conditions can be treated with PRP?
PRP is effective where steroid injections may have had minimal effectiveness or failure and as a first line alternative to cortisone injection.
Knee Pain
- Patellar tendonitis/tendinosis
- Quadriceps muscle injuries
- Ligament sprains or tears
- Bursitis
Hip Pain
- Pyriformis syndrome
- Greater trochanteric Bursitis
- Ischial bursitis
- Hamstring tendonitis or tears
Shoulder and Arm Pain
- Rotator Cuff tendonitis, tendonopathy or partial tears
- Acromio-clavicular joint pain or arthritis
- Bicipital tendonitis
- Medial and Lateral epicondylitis (golfers & tennis elbow)
- Ulnar Collateral Ligament sprain or tear
Lower Leg and Foot
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Shin Splints
- Peroneal tendonitis
- Ankle sprains
- Achilles tendonitis or partial tears
Treatment plan
Depending on the severity and duration of your injury, one to three PRP injections are suggested. Following the initial treatment with PRP, a follow up visit occurs 2-3 weeks later. In general, chronic injuries require more than one injection. In both acute and chronic injuries, injections may be combined with an exercise or physical therapy program to enhance the success of the treatment.
What to expect after your treatment
Often, following the initial injection, an “achy” soreness is felt at the site of injury. This “soreness” is a positive sign that a healing response has been set in motion. This effect can last for several days and gradually decreases as healing and tissue repair occurs. It is important that anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen and Aspirin be avoided following PRP treatments. These medicines may block the effects of the intended healing response facilitated by the injection itself. It is acceptable to use over the counter pain medication, such as Tylenol and in some cases a prescribed analgesic, which does not have anti-inflammatory properties, to control discomfort as needed. You will be permitted to resume normal day to day activities and light exercise following injection. We suggest that you avoid strenuous lifting or high level exercise for at least several days after injection.