What if I told you that two of the Pittsburg Steelers’ biggest stars, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu used their own blood to help heal injuries prior to winning the Super Bowl? Well, its true, and this is not one of those vampire stories either. The therapy they each received is called Platelet Rich Plasma injection therapy or PRP. It is a revolutionary treatment option that promotes long lasting healing of musculoskeletal conditions and pain relief.
Hines Ward suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) of his right knee during the AFC Championship Game. These types of injuries can often take weeks to heal but knowing how important playing in the Super Bowl is to football players, the Steelers’ medical staff did everything in their power to get Hines back into tip-top shape, including the use of PRP therapy.
Troy Palamalu suffered a MCL injury against the Tennessee Titans and under the threat of missing the playoff games and possibly the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl, he tried PRP therapy and it helped him tremendously. He was able to return to the field much sooner than and was able to help his team ultimately win the biggest game of the year. The personal injury lawyer in Framingham area can help deal with the legalities concerned with injury cases.
Hines Ward and Troy Palamalu aren’t the only professional athletes to receive the benefits of PRP. Takashi Saito of the L.A. Dodgers was able to pitch in the playoffs thanks to PRP therapy to his right elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament, which saved him from surgery.
PRP therapy isn’t just for professional athletes. We actually offer it as a one of our many treatment options to our patients here at Northeast Spine and Sports Medicine. The treatment takes about one to two hours to complete, including preparation and recovery time. We begin by collecting a small amount of your blood, less than what is taken for blood work, and then placing it into a centrifuge to separate the platelet-rich plasma from the other components of whole blood. It is then injected into the site of your injury, often using ultrasound for accuracy. The process catalyzes your body’s instincts to repair muscle, bone and other tissue, helping your healing process.
If you have suffered an injury and want to learn more about how PRP can help you, contact us for an appointment. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
