PRP for Knee and Shoulder Pain

Have you been active for most of your life and find that your joints are paying for it now?

PRP (platelet-rich plasma therapy) is a regenerative therapy that is incredibly effective in improving performance and managing and preventing sports injuries. Numerous professional athletes have used PRP to treat sports injuries and pain. Three-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Michelle Lilienthal used PRP to treat hamstring tendon tear and found positive results. Professional basketball players such as All-Star Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors and D’Angelo Russell of the LA Lakers were suffering from knee pain and injuries. Pro baseball players such as New York Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud, San Diego Padres’ right-handed relief pitcher Jon Edwards, and Washington Nationals star Stephen Strasburg were all suffering from shoulder or elbow pain and injury.  They all received PRP injections to help them stay in the game, avoid surgery, and optimize athletic performance. There are numerous benefits to highlight.

Jon Edwards of San Diego Padres

Jon Edwards of San Diego Padres

1.      Optimize performance.

Ever experience knee or shoulder pain after a hard workout? Keep your joints and tissues strong with regular treatments, at the first sign of pain, and you can boost recovery from challenging training sessions more quickly.

2.      Stave off the need for joint reconstruction surgery (or worse, total joint replacement).

For example, if you have a partial ligament tear in the knee (MCL, PCL, LCL, ACL), and you can treat it with PRP therapy early before it progresses to a full tear, you may not need surgery! Surgery has long-term repercussions such as decreased joint mobility, which drastically reduces performance for many athletes.

Steph Curry of Golden State Warriors

Steph Curry of Golden State Warriors

3.      It is safe for your joints and tissues.

PRP therapy does not damage your long-term joint mobility and performance like joint reconstructive surgery does. PRP stimulates your body’s innate ability to heal itself by recruiting natural growth factors to areas of injury and pain, so that the area can actually be healed to its original healthy condition, not just snipped and sewed.

4.      PRP can strengthen tissue integrity and resilience to repeated mechanical stress.

Ever had a broken bone? Remember when your orthopedic doctor told you that the bone would be even stronger after it has healed? This is because your body recruited growth factors to heal and repair your bone. PRP does the same thing by injecting platelets to very specific target sites depending on what areas you want to strengthen and optimize, such as the knee or shoulder.

5.      Avoid pain and injury so that you can stay in the game.

PRP therapy will allow you to continue to train and reach your personal best times! Often, injured athletes have to take an extended leave of absence from exercise so that the injuries can heal, and for many, it is a race against the clock to get back in the game. With regular PRP treatments at the first sign of pain and wear and tear, you can avoid progression of an injury to a debilitating nuisance.

PRP is well-indicated for:

Knee pain (meniscus injury, ligament injury - ACL, MCL, LCL, PCL)

Shoulder pain (adhesive capsulitis, rotator cuff tear, labral tear, ligament injury)

Arm pain (tennis or golfer's elbow)

Ankle strain (Achilles tendon rupture, ligament injury)

Foot pain (plantar fasciitis)

Low back pain (SI joint dysfunction, sciatica)

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How a PRP Visit Works

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy involves injecting your own platelets into specific areas of pain to stimulate natural growth and repair functions in your body. The injection is prepared by drawing a sample of your own blood, spinning it in a centrifuge to separate contents, and extracting the platelets so that they can be administered directly to places where there is pain due to wear and tear, such as the knee or shoulder. Platelets are involved in the natural wound healing process. Similarly to how they form a scab over a wound, they allow for the repair of damaged structures.

Want to ensure that PRP is a good fit for your needs?

Schedule a free intro consult today.