As a sports medicine physician I worked in a large orthopedic practice for 10 years. I treated
many different patients including injured athletes, weekend warriors, and seniors with
degenerative joint disease. I experienced all that traditional medicine had to offer as treatments
for musculoskeletal pain. Then I learned there are alternative treatments for most of the
conditions I was treating with better outcomes, less downtime, better prognosis and nonsurgical. This led me to the emerging field of Regenerative Medicine.
I am very excited to be part of regenerative medicine as it continues to grow and improve the
lives of patients. One regenerative medicine treatment option that I routinely use in my practice
is Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). PRP is the component of your blood that contains a complex
composition of platelets, proteins, and growth factors that promote tissue repair. PRP provides
the stimulus needed to attract and direct regenerative cells to injured, painful tissue.
I have a 54 yo male patient who enjoys playing pickup games of basketball and working out on
a regular basis. He had been dealing with shoulder pain for years. He had minor injuries and
aches with his activities but had been experiencing a decline in his ability to play basketball
and workout. I diagnosed him with a partial tear of two rotator cuff tendons, impingement and
mild osteoarthritis using diagnostic ultrasound and a physical exam. His shoulder was causing
enough pain to interfere with his life but he wanted to avoid surgery. This patient had an
excellent result with one injection and is back to his full workouts and basketball play without
pain!
The day of the procedure you will come to the office where your blood will be drawn. The blood
is placed in a centrifuge and based on your specific treatment plan, your blood is processed
separating and concentrating the platelets from the other blood components. Then, PRP is
injected with ultrasound guidance delivering the injection to the targeted injured tissue.
Ultrasound guidance is key to ensuring the best possible outcome. Each individual patient’s
condition dictates the “cocktail” of PRP that will provide the most effective solution to generate
a strong healing response. At Modern Sports Medicine and Wellness we are dedicated to
helping you get back to the activities you love.
