Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: Advanced Healing for Joints

What is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)?

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy is an innovative regenerative medicine treatment designed to accelerate the healing of damaged joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Platelets are components of blood that contain hundreds of proteins called growth factors, which are essential for healing injuries. PRP is simply plasma with a much higher concentration of platelets than is typically found in blood.

How is PRP Prepared & Administered?

The entire PRP procedure is performed in an outpatient setting and takes less than an hour:

1. Blood Draw: A small amount of blood (similar to a standard blood test) is drawn from your arm.
2. Centrifugation: The blood is placed in a centrifuge, which spins at high speed to separate the platelets from other blood components.
3. Injection: The concentrated platelet-rich portion of the blood is collected and injected directly into the injured or arthritic joint under ultrasound guidance for maximum precision.

Conditions Treated with PRP

PRP has shown promising results in treating a variety of orthopedic conditions, including:

• Knee Osteoarthritis: To help reduce pain, improve joint lubrication, and delay the progression of cartilage wear.
• Chronic Tendinopathy: Such as tennis elbow, Achilles tendonitis, and patellar tendonitis.
• Rotator Cuff Tears: Supporting healing after partial tears or chronic shoulder pain.
• Ligament & Muscle Sprains: Accelerating return to sports for athletes.

Benefits & What to Expect

Since PRP uses your own blood, there is virtually zero risk of allergic reactions or rejection. Patients may experience some mild soreness at the injection site for a few days, which is a normal sign of the body's inflammatory healing response. Full benefits are typically noticed within a few weeks to months as tissue repair progresses.