Chronic overuse and traumatic injuries from sports are common but often difficult to treat. Tissue repair may occur too slowly for athletes who are looking for a fast, complete recovery as soon as possible. The healing process is complex, involving bioactive proteins and other elements that stimulate cellular growth, also known as growth factors.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment was developed to enable patients to produce these growth factors at an accelerated rate. Using the patient’s own blood, PRP injections provide a concentrated dosage of the elements needed to promote tissue repair.

PRP treatment involves isolating one element of the blood for injection into the site of injury. To understand how it works, it’s important to know the difference between plasma and platelets, as our goal is to get Platelet Rich Plasma for this procedure.

WHAT IS PLASMA?

Plasma refers to the liquid aspect of the blood, which carries red and white blood cells. Though plasma is mainly water, it also contains proteins, glucose, nutrients, and antibodies.

WHAT ARE PLATELETS?

Platelets are a normal part of the blood, like red and white blood cells. While they do not have restorative properties by themselves, platelets do secrete the growth factors involved in cell division, tissue regeneration, and healing. Platelets also help with blood clotting to prevent excessive bleeding.

THE PROCEDURE

A platelet-rich plasma injection can be done at some doctor’s offices, however, we perform our procedures at a surgical center, to ensure safety protocols and proper injection procedures are in place. The entire process requires less than 30 minutes to draw the blood, spin it down in the centrifuge, and inject it into the specific injury site. 

3 step blood extraction process for prp therapy

It can be challenging to find a physician that offers this treatment, though it is more commonly provided by Sports Medicine doctors. Dr. David, PM&R Specialist, has been a thought leader on these cutting-edge treatment options offered from Regenerative Medicine techniques such as PRP Therapy.

Michigan Sports and Spine Center offers PRP treatment for a variety of conditions, including cartilage and joint injuries, osteoarthritis, and some tendon injuries. These injections can stimulate healing and relieve pain. Ask Dr. Pierce if PRP treatment is appropriate for you. He is currently offering ONLINE CONSULTATIONS for PRP and/or Stem Cell Treatments- 

HOW IS PLATELET-RICH PLASMA OBTAINED?

Though it may sound like a complex process, it is actually quite simple. Blood is withdrawn from the iliac crest in your hip and placed in a centrifuge, a special machine that spins at a high speed to separate the blood cells. The doctor extracts the platelet portion of the blood and injects it into the area of injury.

HOW IS IT INJECTED?

The PRP injection takes place as soon as the blood has been spun and separated into platelets and plasma. Studies have shown that the tendons can also activate the PRP, making an activating agent unnecessary in some cases. Depending on the nature of the injury and your physician’s approach, you may receive one injection or several over a span of months.