Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

In the world of sports injuries, healing time is of the utmost importance. The difference in a week for full recovery can mean the difference between making the playoffs and ending the season early. Because of this need for fast-tracking healing times, different innovations have become more popular in medicine. One of these innovations is the use of platelet-rich plasma.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) had been used previously as an adjunct to healing in spinal surgeries and in plastic surgeries with extensive soft tissue damage. The process involves drawing a small amount of blood from the patient (between 30mL and 60mL), putting the blood into a centrifuge, and spinning it down to separate the blood components. The plasma is separated from the cells, but the platelets are kept in the plasma. This platelet-rich plasma can then be injected back into the same patient, in the area that healing is needed. PRP has gained popularity, and has been used to treat tendon injuries, ligament injuries, cartilage injuries, muscle injuries, and for chronic wounds.

Part of PRP’s recent surge in popularity is due to its use in treating sports injuries. Professional athletes like Tiger Woods, Troy Polamalu, and Hines Ward have all received media attention from PRP therapy. Recently, Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson has made the news for receiving platelet-rich plasma treatment. As more and more professional athletes use PRP therapy, it becomes more common for amateur athletes and weekend warriors to ask their doctors about the treatment.

The theory behind how PRP therapy works is somewhat simple. Platelets in the blood normally release chemical signals to promote healing at a specific site. These signals attract more platelets to the area, which increases the amount of signal being release, and thus the healing process continues. By removing blood from a person and concentrating the amount of platelets in a particular area, the healing time is theoretically increased.

In podiatry, common uses for PRP therapy include plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendon tears/ruptures. Both of these areas are prone to chronic injuries that can be very difficult to heal, and can often take a very long time for the symptoms to go away. Therefore, platelet-rich plasma therapy becomes an interesting option for these patients. These areas of injury can also have a relatively low blood supply, which may be why they are prone to injury in the first place. Injecting platelet-rich plasma into these areas can promote healing in an area that may be difficult for platelets to reach on their own.

While platelet-rich plasma seems to be a great therapy to boost the healing of certain types of injuries, there are certain limitations to its use. The studies that have been performed show inconsistencies in the method of use, as well as small sample sizes and a lack of control subjects. Additionally, there are many studies that show inconclusive results as to the efficacy of PRP. This takes away from the studies that show PRP to be an effective method of treatment, as the results may not be able to be repeated.

While there may be some controversy over its efficacy, PRP is still becoming a popular method of treatment for chronic injuries, particularly among professional athletes. This is due to a vast amount of resources for this patient group, as well as the desire to fast-track recovery time. As more studies are performed on the topic, watch for more solid results to be shown.

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center, LLC.

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Winter Haven, Fl. 33881

863-299-4551

www.FLFootandAnkle.com