Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), is a revolutionary and non-invasive treatment that uses your own blood cells to stimulate the natural healing process for a host of orthopedic conditions and athletic injuries that makes it possible to avoid surgery and return to sports and work sooner.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), is a revolutionary and non-invasive treatment that uses your own blood cells to stimulate the natural healing process for a host of orthopedic conditions and athletic injuries that makes it possible to avoid surgery and return to sports and work sooner.

Over the last few years, platelet rich plasma (PRP) has received a lot of attention, partly because professional athletes have used PRP therapy to heal their bodies using their bodies own natural process. Tiger Woods has used PRP therapy treatments for his knee to help in the recovery process after knee surgery, HInes Ward and Troy Polamalu, of the Pittsburgh Steelers, received treatments before winning Super Bowl XLIII. PRP has been credited with helping Kobe Bryant and various aging sports stars recover from conditions like sprained knees and injured tendons in less time than would be possible with other forms of therapy.

What is Platelet-Rich Plasma?

Platelet-rich plasma is a concentration of your own blood platelets. We collect a sample of your blood and spin it down to separate the plasma, which contains a high concentration of platelets. Platelets play a critical role in healing wounds, soft tissue injuries, and fractures by activating stem cells to regenerate new, healthy tissue. An injection of platelet-rich plasma gives your body a natural boost to accelerate the healing process. Some patients report pain relief in addition to rapid healing.

Lab tests have shown that concentrated growth factors are able to hasten healing and many professional athletes have testified to the benefits of PRP injections.

Benefits of PRP Therapy
  • Rapid pain relief and healing
  • Regeneration of healthy tissues
  • Fewer complications than surgery
  • Minimal down time
  • No incision, no scarring

Conditions Treated with PRP Therapy

  • Tendonitis
  • Partial Rotator Cuff Tears
  • Sprains and strains
  • Muscle Fibrosis
  • Joint Capsular Laxity
  • Plantar Fasciitis

and much more

What is the Procedure for PRP Therapy?

First, we draw a small amount of blood and spin it in a specialized FDA-approved device to separate the platelets, growth factors, and white blood cells. The concentrated platelets found in PRP contain large reservoirs of bioactive proteins, including growth factors that are essential to initiate and accelerate tissue repair and regeneration.

Next, we numb the areas to be treated with an anesthetic injection. Using ultrasound guidance for targeted placement, we then inject the platelets and growth factors into the damaged tissue. The high concentration of platelets signals the body that there is injured tissue to be healed and attracts healing cells to the area to jump start the repair process. For minor soft tissue injuries, the body is usually able to send in enough healing cells to repair the injury.

Often PRP must be combined with an adult biocellular graft. Whether this additional graft is necessary depends on the site being treated and the severity of the injured/diseased tissue.

Am I a Candidate for PRP Therapy?

Only you and your doctor can decide if PRP therapy is right for you. If you want to avoid surgery and get long-lasting pain relief, we encourage you to learn more about regenerative medicine and talk to an expert.

Nationally Recognized Experts in PRP Therapy

Southwest Orthopedic Associates prides itself as the forerunner in PRP Therapy, Stem Cell Therapy, and other natural healing therapies.
Southwest Orthopedic Associates believes that implementing PRP therapy as a viable procedure may: decrease the progression of more serious injuries, decrease the overall time for healing, and ultimately decrease the overall need for surgical intervention. This promising adjunctive form of therapy holds the potential of healing previously problematic chronic injuries, provide a treatment option for debilitating injuries previously deemed untreatable, and serve as an alternative to surgical intervention.

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