Does Post-Injury Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy Work?
March 26,2019
When Tiger Woods, the most famous golfer on the planet, opts for platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy in an attempt to return more quickly to competition following an injury, the rest of the world wants to know if the same treatment regiment could help them. Although recent studies have shown that an increased concentration of blood platelets can potentially speed healing, no one knows exactly how PRP injections work. What we do know is blood is a liquid that also contains very small solids, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. In addition to the importance of platelets in blood clotting, they contain hundreds of proteins that may be beneficial for healing injuries and post-surgical wounds.
Common Conditions Treated With PRP Injections
Platelet-rich plasma therapy uses injections of a concentration of a patient's own blood platelets to accelerate the healing of soft tissues damaged by injury or following surgical interventions for conditions, such as:
- Chronic Tendon Injuries
- Acute Ligament Injuries
- Acute Muscle Injuries
- Post-Surgical Repair
Pain from PRP injections is usually minimal and doctors have reported accelerated tissue healing by as much as 50% for injuries like rotator cuff tears, plantar fascitis, iliotibial band syndrome, tennis elbow and ACL tears.
Soft tissue injuries are relatively common in the context of athletic and/or recreational participation in sports and injuries can occur by a wide variety of mechanisms. Although PRP injections are not an immediate fix, treatments do appear to speed the regeneration of healthy tissue. Moreover, the procedure is much less expensive than surgery and there is no limit to the total number of injections allowed. Most patients do report significant improvement in symptoms, including pain and discomfort, after only one injection. If multiple PRP injections are indicated, each set of treatments are spaced several weeks apart. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or ultrasound scan is the mainstay for confirmation of the original injury, plus monitoring of the recovery process.
Rehabilitation Guidelines from University of Wisconsin
For the most part, the measure of success following platelet-rich plasma injections has been the successful return of a patient to their chosen physical activities, or sport. The University of Wisconsin Sports Medicine program is one of the first to establish rehabilitation guidelines to support restoration and growth of new tissue. Initial rehabilitation focuses on protecting the treated area to promote healing while gently restoring a normal range of motion. The second phase of rehab utilizes strengthening and neuromuscular control exercises. In the final stages of rehabilitation, the focus turns to dynamic control and stability during specific athletic or occupational motions. Sport and/or work criteria are satisfied when the patient shows good dynamic neuromuscular control with multi-plane activities without pain.
If you are struggling with a sports injury or recovering from an accident, contact PrimeMED to schedule an appointment with a board-certified physician at our Orange Park, Jacksonville or St. Augustine office to discuss your treatment options.
