Is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy Right for You? Dr. Robert Engelen, DO

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a revolutionary, science-based alternative for healing injuries and treating chronic orthopedic conditions.

A form of regenerative medicine, PRP injections use the body’s own healing powers to overcome injuries that might otherwise require surgical intervention. For many patients, this treatment can quickly and efficiently reduce pain and restore mobility and function while lowering the risk of re-injury.

What Is PRP?

Platelets, a key component of human blood, help with clotting, which facilitates the healing of cuts and wounds. Scientists have discovered that platelets provide other functions as well, including tissue repair and regeneration, and increased blood flow.

After withdrawing a small amount (about 60-120 ml) of the patient’s blood, doctors process it in a centrifuge to isolate the platelet-rich plasma component. This mixture is then injected at targeted sites. When your body receives a hyper-concentrated dosage of platelets, it accelerates healing to damaged tissue.

Depending on the injury’s location, the doctor may use an ultrasound or fluoroscopy to guide the injections more precisely.

This treatment reduces the need for surgical intervention and extended rehabilitation. Minimally invasive injections reduce the risks inherent with surgery, and virtually eliminate the need for lengthy and painful rehab. Healing is rapid, with many patients seeing marked improvement in a matter of days.

What Injuries Respond Well to PRP Therapy?

Orthopedic and sports medicine doctors use PRP therapy today to treat a variety of injuries, including patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee), osteoarthritis, iliotibial (IT) band syndrome, tennis elbow, and rotator cuff tendinitis. This treatment can be used for many muscle, ligament or tendon injuries and chronic conditions that might otherwise require surgery to correct, including ACL/MCL injury, bursitis, torn or strained tendons, muscle strains and plantar fasciitis.

Many world-class athletes have turned to PRP treatment to save their careers. Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova, Alex Rodriguez, Hines Ward, and Ray Lewis are just a few of the names you may recognize.

Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley, facing season- and potentially career-ending Tommy John surgery, turned to PRP treatment during the off-season for his elbow injury. He successfully resumed pitching the following spring.

Should You Consider PRP Therapy?

For many patients, we recommend a course of rest and modified activity first, to see if the injury responds positively. If that approach fails, or if time is of the essence, PRP therapy may provide the relief and healing you seek.

Treatment is done in our office, and you can return to work immediately afterward. After the procedure, you may experience an initial increase in pain followed by steady improvement over the coming days. For some more advanced conditions, we may recommend a series of injections. However, no rehab or specialized aftercare is necessary.

Research indicates that platelet-rich plasma therapy is safe, with very few reports of side effects or complications. We use this revolutionary treatment regularly for our patients and we get excellent results.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation to see if PRP therapy is right for you.