Study Shows Positive Results for Golfer's Elbow and Tennis Elbow

My colleague, Dr. Sampson of the Orthohealing Center, posted a blog entry about a study publishing positive results for PRP use in tennis elbow and golfer's elbow. You can read Dr. Sampson's post here.

Both tennis elbow and golfer's elbow are common tendon injuries resulting from repetitive motions of the forearm.

Tennis elbow occurs on the outside bony portion of the elbow where large tendons attach to the elbow from the muscles of the forearm. The most common symptoms are pain over the outside of the elbow; pain when lifting objects; pain when radiating down the forearm; and warmth and swelling of the elbow.

Golfer's elbow occurs on the inside of the elbow. The pain usually occurs at the elbow joint on the inside of the arm accompanied by a shooting sensation down the forearm. Pain is also common while gripping objects.

Treatment for both conditions usually includes ice packs, resting the elbow, and anti-inflammatory medications. An elbow brace or cortisone injections may be given, and if the injury is severe, surgery may be necessary. PRP injections, or Renegerative Injection Therapy, offer an alternative or enhancement to surgery. 

As Dr. Sampson's post states, PRP is showing promise in the healing of tennis elbow and golfer's elbow.

Platelet Rich Plasma Treatment for Sports-Related Ankle Injuries

Recently, you might have read about Andre Johnson, a wide receiver for the Houston, Texans who sustained an injury to his ankle. Soon after the initial injury, Johnson reinjured the same ankle. According to FanHouse, Johnson received Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) to help aid and speed up the healing process http://www.huffingtonpost.com/?joinow=1&ref=aolnewsof his injury. This process, called Regenerative Injection Therapy, has been used to successfully treat many athletes who have sustained various types of sports injuries. Athletes such as Tiger Woods, Hines Ward, and Troy Polamalu have had success with this treatment.

I use Regenerative Injection Therapy containing PRP in my practice, and my patients are having a lot of success healing faster and alleviating their pain. They are returning to sports much faster and have been able to pursue a better quality of life without needing surgery. PRP is a procedure which uses the patient’s own blood that is extracted from the arm, similar to a lab test. The blood is placed in a special machine that spins it at high speeds. This process separates the platelets from the other blood components. The platelets are then concentrated and re-injected into the injured area or arthritic joint. In turn, the platelets release substances known as growth factors that lead to improved natural tissue healing. Platelets initiate repair and attract the assistance of your body’s own stem cells to facilitate the process of regeneration and remodeling of the damaged area.

Three to four weeks after the first PRP treatment, I will evaluate your progress and determine whether more therapy is needed. Depending on the severity and duration of your injury or disorder, most patients require between one and two treatments.

As PRP therapy now gains popularity in the U.S., it is gaining recognition among doctors and patients alike for having a terrific rate of success. Many believe PRP has the potential to revolutionize sports medicine, orthopedics and beyond, with new applications being discovered daily.

Please feel free to contact my office for a consultation to see if you are a candidate for this exciting natural healing process.