The use of platelet concentrate in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, with its potential to accelerate the body’s natural healing response, is an exciting option for the treatment of certain sports injuries and musculoskeletal conditions. The Board-certified physicians at Tampa Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group are pleased to make available this and other types of innovative regenerative medicine options to patients in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and other nearby FL communities.
As explained by Dr. Daniel Murphy at Tampa Orthopaedic in Tampa, FL, platelet concentrate is derived from a patient’s own blood. Human blood consists of a liquid plasma that contains small solids, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The platelets, which perform the important function of helping the blood to clot, are also rich in a type of proteins known as growth factors. To capitalize on the potential of these growth factors, PRP therapy incorporates the use of a high concentration of platelet concentrate – much higher than that generally found in blood. To prepare the platelet concentrate, a blood sample is drawn from a patient. The platelets are then isolated from the other blood cells through a process known as centrifugation. To facilitate healing, the platelet concentrate is then injected directly into the inflamed tissue.
The effectiveness of PRP therapy can vary from patient to patient. Some factors that have been found to influence its success include:
- The overall health of the patient
- The area of the body under treatment
- Whether the condition being treated is chronic or acute (a recent study found that PRP injected into acute hamstring strains of professional football players increased the healing process and allowed the players to return to play sooner)
The main advantage of PRP therapy is that it utilizes a high level of platelet concentrate that does not occur naturally in the body. In essence, this overabundance of growth factors can serve to boost the body’s healing process in a targeted area. And, because the platelet concentrate is derived from a patient’s own blood, it cannot be rejected or cause harm.
Contrary to popular belief, PRP therapy is not just for elite athletes – it has helped many weekend warriors and active seniors find relief from a range of musculoskeletal conditions, including osteoarthritis, joint degeneration, and chronic pain. If you’d like to consult a Board-certified physician at Tampa Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Group to find out if PRP therapy is right for you, please contact us today. We see patients from Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and the surrounding FL communities.
