Platelet Rich Plasma
Orthopedic Regenerative Therapy
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy
PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) is an advanced treatment physicians have used to help repair damaged or injured tissues in the body. This minimally invasive procedure helps initiate the regenerative process by utilizing the growth factors that platelets are known to contain. PRP therapy is autologous, meaning it is derived from the patient, therefore reducing the risk of rejection or allergic reaction.
PRP Therapy was initially used to promote healing in difficult oral surgery wounds. Physicians found a great reduction in healing time when PRP was applied to the surface of an open wound. As the utilization of PRP was further investigated, it was discovered that PRP could be used in countless medical specialties designed to trigger a healing response from our body. The benefits are now being applied towards the facilitating of healing muscle, tendons, ligaments, articular and meniscal injuries.
Media coverage and sports publications have frequently documented successful treatments; most notably in NBA, FIFA, MLB, NFL and PGA professionals requiring orthopedic repairs to their knees, shoulders, hips and elbows.
Is PRP for you?
PRP can be used orthopedically in most individuals between 18 and 80 years old. It is a nautral and autologus therapy that repairs and strengthens damaged tissues for faster healing. Treatments utilizing PRP can eliminate the need for surgery or other invasive procedures.
Orthopedic and pain conditions that can be treated with PRP include:
• Tennis Elbow
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Ligament tears
• Achilles tendinitis
• Arthritis
• Joint pain
How is PRP Being Used in Orthopedics?
Platelet Rich Plasma therapy is a treatment option for various Orthopedic injuries and conditions, which have traditionally required surgery or other extensive treatments. PRP injections are being utilized in Orthopedics with increasing frequency and effectiveness. Injuries currently being treated
with the PRP therapy are arthritis of the hip, knee, shoulder, ankle and other joints.
PRP also is utilized for soft tissue injuries such as tendonitis, muscle sprains and tears, and various types of ligament injuries. These include common tendon injuries such as tennis elbow and golfers’ elbow, Achilles tendonitis and knee tendonitis. PRP is also used to treat various injuries and conditions
affecting joint injuries. These include rotator cuff and meniscus injuries.
The Medicine Behind the Magic
The human body has a remarkable ability to heal itself, thus by re-injecting concentrated platelets the
natural healing process is being further facilitated. Platelets are cells contained in our blood. They
release various proteins that support healing and tissue responses to attract stem cells and repair damaged areas within the body. By utilizing the healing properties of platelets, PRP is applied in joints, muscles, tendons, surgical sites, damaged skin and even in hair loss to initiate remodeling of the tissue to a healthier and younger state.
Contained in the alpha granules of platelets are multiple growth factors. Growth factors are proteins that impart particular biochemical messages to specific target cells through precise membrane receptors. Growth factors possess paracrine related properties which are stimulatory for mitogenic activities, cellular differentiation, protein transcription, chemotaxis, angiogenesis, and collagenase activities.
The concentrated platelets found in PRP contains huge reservoirs of bioactive proteins, including growth factors and signaling proteins that are vital to initiate and accelerate tissue repair and continued regeneration.
These bioactive proteins initiate connective tissue healing in tissues such as meniscus (knee) and rotator cuff tissue, bone and articular cartilage regeneration and repair and promotes development of new blood vessels.
PRP BENEFITS
• Very few contraindications
• Minimal risk
• Short Recovery time
• Targeted and accelerated healing
• Rapid results with long-term benefits
• Natural, visible improvement without artificial enhancement