Why Everyone From Athletes to Seniors is Turning to Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy for Joint Injuries

At Mehling Orthopedics, you can benefit from the same remarkable therapies that professional athletes enjoy when it comes to healing joint injuries. And, you don’t have to be a superstar.

PRP, or platelet rich plasma, therapy provides relief for sports injuries, osteoarthritis, and other joint maladies that interfere with your ability to do the things you enjoy. The orthopedic specialists at our office help you heal with this revolutionary therapy derived from your own blood.

About platelets

Your blood is made up of plasma (the liquid), red and white blood cells, and platelets. While all components are important, the platelets have a remarkable and, until now, underappreciated power. Your body uses platelets to clot your blood when you’re wounded or injured, so you can begin to heal and repair yourself.

Because they’re natural healers, platelets are full of multiple growth factors that aid in wound healing, including platelet-derived growth factor and insulin-like growth factor. They rush to an injury and get to work repairing damaged tissue and creating new tissue.

When the doctors at Mehling Orthopedics prepare PRP from your blood, they create a platelet-concentrated form of plasma (PRP) that’s then injected into the site of your injury. The dense concentration of platelets — about five times the normal concentration — rushes in to create an environment of natural healing, no surgery necessary.

An easy procedure

PRP therapy is easy to perform, although it’s considered cutting-edge science. During your appointment, a technician draws blood from your arm using a syringe in a conventional blood draw. The blood is then put in a centrifuge to separate the platelets from the rest of the solids and plasma.

Once the mixture has a high enough concentration of platelets, it’s mixed with a small amount of plasma and injected the mixture into your injury. The whole process takes less than an hour. Depending on the extent of your injury or impaired mobility, you may need a series of treatments over time.

Reduced pain and better range of motion

In a healthy joint, cartilage cushions the space between the bones to prevent them from rubbing together. If you have osteoarthritis, this cushioning is wearing away or has already worn away, causing painful bone-on-bone friction. Repetitive movement and the general passage of time can cause this cartilage to wear away.

Research backs the use of PRP to reduce the pain and improve the function in osteoarthritic joints. When the doctors inject PRP into your injured cartilage, the growth factors and other healing substances like cytokines stimulate your cartilage cells to produce new cells and blood

vessels. Your body also produces more of the tissue-strengthening protein called collagen that helps your new cartilage tissues stay hydrated and pliable.

Quick recovery

Athletes also use PRP to recover more quickly from a variety of injuries, including tendon and ligament injuries. The injections make it so you can return to sport faster if you suffered an Achilles’ tendon strain or pulled hamstring, for example. PRP may also reduce your risk of reinjuring the soft tissue.

At Mehling Orthopedics, the team also uses PRP to improve:

• Torn or injured tendons and ligaments
• Hairline fractures
• Wound healing
• Adhesion of bone or tissue grafts

To find out if PRP regenerative medicine therapy is right for you, contact Mehling Orthopedics. Phone the knowledgeable staff or book your appointment online.