When you have a foot injury, it can be completely debilitating. Movement and freedom can be inhibited until the condition has been fixed. When it comes to treatments for tendon and ligament injuries around the foot such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendon, and ankle ligament injuries, one possible treatment to help you get back to moving is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy.
Platelets are small cells located in the blood that help with clotting. PRP uses the patient’s own concentrated platelets, which contain a large number of growth factors that stimulate healing.
The goal of this type of therapy is to use the patient’s own blood to help heal the injury, making it a more natural approach to correcting the issue. PRP is not used just to relieve pain, but it promotes actual healing and may even reduce the need for surgery and medication.
A doctor may recommend one injection or a series of injections, but if there is no improvement after the second injection, therapy may be terminated.
PRP is best to help treat tendon, ligament, cartilage, and bone injuries, as well as arthritis. It is not for the treatment of infections or cancer.
To make the highly concentrated plasma-rich platelets, a small amount of the patient’s own blood is drawn and spun at high speed to create the concentration of platelets; nearly three to five times the concentration of growth factors compared to normal blood. The liquid is made into an injection, which is inserted near the area of injury. A doctor may use an ultrasound or x-ray to monitor the injection.
Because the injections are made from the patient’s own blood, the risks of injury or infection with this type of therapy are low. Some patients may experience mild pain and irritation near the injection point.
After the therapy, patients may be advised to limit movement or weight-bearing activities but may be able to return to regular activities within three to seven days following the treatment.
If you are interested in learning more about PRP or think that this type of therapy may help in the healing of your foot injury, contact Dr. Hochman in Coral Gables at 305-442-1780. We look forward to helping you heal!
References:
Platelet-rich Plasma Injections. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/treatments/Pages/Platelet-rich-Plasma-Injections.aspx
