Just how effective is PRP? Like most treatments, the effectiveness of PRP greatly depends on the severity of the injury. It also depends upon other factors, such as chronic systemic inflammation, obesity, and age. PRP injections may last between 6-8 months, again depending on the factors noted previously. Because PRP is a new and innovative treatment technique, there are many ongoing studies that are exploring using PRP in a variety of joints and tissues, such as Achilles’ tendons, rotator cuff tendons, and meniscus in the knee.

In a few recent studies, platelet rich plasma was shown to be effective in treating patients with knee joint cartilage degeneration1. Other studies have shown that PRP reduced the formation of fibrotic scar tissue after Achilles’ tendon repairs. PRP has been shown to be successful in treating chronic tendinosis. One study showed reduction of symptoms in a group treated with PRP compared with a control group over 8 weeks2. There have also been good results in using PRP following rotator cuff tendon repairs to reduce pain in the immediate postoperative months, as well as enhance healing of grade 1 or 2 tears3. PRP has also been shown to be effective in augmenting meniscal repairs and to accelerate healing and decrease pain in SLAP repairs4.

If you have an injury to a ligament or tendon, a PRP injection might be a good adjunct to your physical therapy treatment. Talk to your physical therapist or doctor about whether a PRP injection is right for you.

References:
  1. Chang et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for Treating Knee Joint Cartilage Degenerative Pathology: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2014; 95(3):562-575.
  2. Mishra et al. Sports Medicine Applications of Platelet Rich Plasma. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. 2012; 13(7): 1185-1195.
  3. Randelli et al. Platelet-Rich Plasma In Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Prospective RTC Study, 2 Year Follow-Up. J of Shoulder & Elbow Surg. 2011; 20(4): 518-528.
  4. Hirahara et al. Enhancing SLAP Repairs With Fibrin Clots. Orthop Proceedings. 2011; 93: 268-269.