Sports-related injuries can happen to anyone during the course of physical activity. You don’t have to be a professional athlete to be sidelined by a rotator cuff injury, tennis elbow, or sprained knee. While some injuries require extensive recovery periods and may leave residual effects like stiffness and discomfort, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) offers an alternative treatment option that can speed healing and enhance comfort.

What is Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy?

Platelet-rich plasma combines two components of blood - plasma and platelets - to deliver targeted, heightened healing capabilities. Platelets aid in blood clotting and contain hundreds of growth factor proteins that are crucial to recovery. PRP works by taking the patient’s own blood, separating the platelets, and increasing their concentration via a process known as centrifugation. Once the PRP has been fully prepared, it can be injected directly at the site of the injury.

How Does PRP Work for Sports Injuries?

PRP is a rapidly growing form of treatment for which new uses are continually being tested and discovered. Today, its applications range from treating arthritis to hair restoration. However, healing sports-related injuries remains its primary function, thanks to the positive results it has consistently delivered. Soft tissue injuries like tears in the roator cuff, ACL, or Achilles tendon can heal faster and with less discomfort when infused with this orthobiologic material that is derived from the patient’s own body

When injected at the site of injury, PRP infuses the area with amounts of healing growth factors that are many times higher than what the body would produce on its own. Quickly, most patients begin to notice improvement in their comfort levels, and even in the case of chronic injuries, this comfort often continues for six months or more. In fact, studies have shown that even six months post-treatment, nearly 85% of patients continued to report a 25% or higher reduction in pain. These results help minimize the reliance on other pain relievers such as opioids.

PRP Therapy in Baton Rouge

Whether you are suffering from an acute sports injury or chronic condition like arthritis, PRP may be a viable option to help improve your pain levels and recovery. At the Bone and Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge, Dr. Julie Neumann and Dr. Joseph Broyles both offer this treatment option to their patients. To find out if it might be right for you, contact our office to request an appointment.