Some of the most painful and difficult to heal sports injuries involve soft tissue like cartilage, which is difficult to regenerate. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections can reduce pain and inflammation and help promote healing as a regenerative solution, or boost healing after surgical intervention as a supplemental treatment.
As an orthopedic doctor in San Francisco California, Dr. Jeffrey Halbrecht and his experienced team at The Institute for Arthroscopy & Sports Medicine routinely create and apply platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to help improve healing capabilities if you’re recovering from a soft tissue injury or a surgical procedure.
Your blood is a suspension made up of a serum-like plasma with three separate components: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which are the most critical when it comes to harnessing the body’s natural healing capabilities. Platelets:
The growth factors are critical. When injected into the site of injury or inflammation, they attract other growth factors in your body to the same place, maximizing the effect.
Dr. Halbrecht uses PRP for athletes he sees as a sports medicine doctor. San Francisco patients can benefit from PRP for both acute injuries and as an adjunct to post-operative care to hasten healing and improve outcomes.
PRP is created in our office using a draw of your own blood. This makes PRP a bioidentical treatment your body won’t reject or have an immune response to.
First, Dr. Halbrecht or a technician draws a blood sample from your arm. We isolate the platelets using a centrifuge that spins out the red and white blood cells and concentrates the platelets in the remaining plasma. He then injects the PRP into the operative site or in the area of the wound or injury.
PRP is perfect for athletes, who often suffer cartilage damage and who can benefit from PRP’s ability to support regeneration.This is a quick, in-office process. It only takes about 30 minutes to prepare and complete PRP therapy, and it’s especially helpful for patients with pain and inflammation due to knee injuries.
Best results are obtained when PRP treatment is applied by a qualified knee surgeon. San Francisco-based Dr. Halbrecht is practiced in the development and application of PRP for sports injuries.
If you’ve suffered a knee or other sports injury, PRP may be right for you. Contact the team at IASM by calling 415-233-7996, or book a visit online.
