Unfortunately, knee injuries are all too common. They happen to star athletes, they happen to weekend warriors, and they happen to sedentary people. Knee injuries can range from severely torn ligaments and tendons to minor meniscus tears. However, even a minor knee injury can make it difficult to perform normal everyday activities and can prevent individuals from exercising or returning to competitive sports. The addition of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to a regimen of physical therapy with or without surgical repair can dramatically speed healing. PRP injection treatments are only becoming more and more popular, and for good reason.
Addressing Knee Injuries
Once a knee injury occurs, the first step is a diagnosis. We will use a history, a clinical examination, and imaging (ultrasound, MRI, and/or arthroscopy) to determine what has been damaged and the extent of the damage. In some cases, surgery is necessary, but in all cases, physical therapy is vitally important to restore normal knee function. The recovery from a knee injury normally takes months, regardless of whether surgery was performed. A PRP injection treatment can speed recovery and help to restore full function to injured knees.
What Is PRP?
PRP is derived from the patient’s own blood. A normal blood sample is taken in a quick in-office procedure and the platelets are concentrated and isolated from the blood cells. Platelets are small, formed elements that aren’t actually cells; instead, they are basically pouches full of clotting factors, growth factors, and cytokines. When ruptured during an injury, they induce clotting and healing and attract immune cells and OrthoBiologics to the site of the injury. Doctors have found that if platelets are concentrated and applied to surgical sites or injected into injured joints, they release their growth factors and cytokines and induce healing of the local area.
Is the Treatment Safe?
Since PRP is prepared from the patient’s own blood, there is no risk of a reaction or of transmitting infections. PRP injection treatments are generally believed to be very safe. Talk to our team at Phoenix Regenerative Medicine to learn more. Contact us today to schedule a consultation in Phoenix.
