Biologic treatments are a natural way to treat orthopedic injuries and wear-and-tear on the joints. Examples of autologous biologics are platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and stem cell therapy derived from the body of the individual. You might have heard of these therapies being used to treat sports injuries. In fact, some of the earliest recipients of biologics for sports injuries are professional athletes since being an athlete means needing to bounce back from an injury as quickly and safely as possible.
Let’s talk more about PRP therapy and stem cell therapy as a treatment for orthopedic injuries and where you can go in MA for comprehensive care.
How Does PRP Therapy Work?
The platelet-rich plasma is derived from your blood. PRP therapy involves harvesting the plasma and running it through a centrifuge to separate the other blood components from the plasma. Then, platelets are centrifuged to a concentrate, and then a small amount of plasma is added. The result is a highly concentrated solution of platelets suspended in plasma. Platelets are the blood cells that rush to the site of injury to help with clotting, and they also contain growth factors, which are used by the body in tissue healing, followed by amplifying injury healing.
How Does Stem Cell Therapy Work?
Similar to the PRP therapy, stem cell therapy also involves harvesting stem cells from the blood or bone marrow. Stem cells are the building blocks of organs and soft tissues and when injected directly into the site of injury, these facilitates healing and stimulates tissue regeneration. PRP therapy and stem cell therapy are usually combined to treat soft tissue injuries. They will guide the formation of cells, such as new tissue, for healing.
How PRP Therapy and Stem Cell Therapy Can Make You Feel?
PRP therapy injections improve the healing of soft tissue injuries. Where pain and inflammation are concerned, the platelet-rich plasma can help reduce inflammation, thereby relieving the pain. Once pain is controlled, you can start with physical therapies, which gets you closer to getting back on track. Stem cells also work to replace damaged hard and soft tissues, which also improves pain and function in patients.
Both PRP and stem cell therapy could help reduce the need for medication and delay or eliminate the need for surgery, which will only prolong your recovery. Since both are derived from your blood, there is no risk of rejection and other complications. Patients report a reduction in pain even after the first PRP and stem cell therapy sessions.
PRP and stem cell therapy are therapeutic in those with injuries, such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow, and knee injuries.
Some of the professional athletes who received PRP therapy for sports injuries are pro football players Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers and both have had great results from the therapy. Tiger Woods also received PRP therapy as part of his recovery treatments and returned to his sport and went on to have one of the best seasons in his golfing career. Baseball pitcher Max Scherzer and Jarvis Green from the Denver Broncos also received stem cell treatments for their injuries.
PRP Therapy and Stem Cell Therapy in Hartford and Tolland Counties, CT & Springfield, MA
You do not need to be a professional athlete to have positive results from PRP therapy and stem cell therapy. If you have an acute or chronic sports injury, have our orthopedic specialists at Advanced Orthopedics New England evaluate your condition and determine whether you are a good candidate for the biologic treatment.
To schedule a consultation, call our orthopedic office today at (512) 346-4933 or use our convenient appointment request form. We accept walk-ins at our Enfield and Vernon locations for patients with acute orthopedic injuries.
