Get a Leg Up and Get Back in the Game with PRP Therapy
From skin rejuvenation to sports recovery, PRP offers a host of healing benefits and is touted by some of the world’s most recognizable stars and elite athletes alike.
From hair loss to facial revitalization to joint and muscle recovery, PRP (Platelet-rich Plasma) therapy has proven beneficial for a variety of issues. The latest body woe to feel the benefits of PRP is that of sports-related injuries. PRP is being used more frequently to promote regenerative healing of muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and other soft tissue issues stemming from sports-related injuries due to the rich content of reparative growth factors found in platelet-rich plasma. This platelet-rich plasma extracted from the blood of the patient is believed to accelerate the physiological healing processes. PRP therapy is a simple and minimally invasive technique that leaves the patient with significantly reduced downtime, no scarring, and reduced chances for the need for surgery. Rather than missing out on an entire season of playing your favorite sport, whether professionally or recreationally, PRP therapy can offer a viable alternative or complement to speedy surgical recovery.
How PRP is Helping Athletes Get Back in the Game
PRP involves extracting a small amount of blood from the patient to yield a concentrated number of rich platelets. Plasma is the clear, liquid portion of blood comprised of proteins, water, and enzymes. The extracted blood is spun in a centrifuge where it is separated from the red blood cells. The platelet-rich plasma is then strategically re-injected back into the injury site to speed-up the healing process, so patients and athletes can get back in the game – or the fight – faster. Common sports-related injuries PRP can address include rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow inflammation, and ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries, which may eliminate the need for knee surgery in the future.
Elite athletes, like the late basketball legend, Kobe Bryant, have turned to the enterprising healing benefits of PRP therapy to treat common injuries that would normally leave them sidelined for an extended period, while reducing their recovery time and improving their condition without the need for drugs or more invasive therapies. Dr. Seterah, founder and medical director at truMD, continues to treat a number of MMA and UFC fighters’ acute knee and elbow injuries using PRP, and is quickly becoming recognized as the self-proclaimed official doctor of the UFC. It’s also well-known that Irish UFC featherweight and lightweight double-champ Conor McGregor sought PRP treatment following a few ring-related injuries. Dr. Setarah’s approach to treating sports-related injuries with PRP includes a very gentle, streamlined process with benefits that can be seen and felt in as little as a few short weeks, as opposed to months with traditional physical therapies. Usually, one simple treatment is all it takes to get back in the ring, on the court, on the field, or wherever your sport of choice takes you.
Is PRP Therapy Right for You?
If you’re an athlete or aspiring athlete and have suffered a setback due to an injury, we invite you to call our office to set-up a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Seterah to see if PRP therapy is right for you. PRP is a revolutionary, future-forward form of regenerative medicine that involves drawing a small amount of blood, then isolating and concentrating the healing platelets when spun in a centrifuge. The remaining clear, platelet-rich plasma is re-injected near the injury site. Typically, the patient will be advised to forgo any exercises, sports, or physical activities for the first week following treatment, as this allows the platelets to attach to the compromised tissues properly. It’s important to keep in mind not all patients will experience the same results, but that PRP therapy for treating sports-related injuries can offer game-changing recovery.