A number of studies conducted over the years have shown strong support for platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections as a treatment for musculoskeletal injuries. The most recent study, out of India, demonstrates that PRP therapy is appropriate for ankle sprains.
PRP injections are offered as outpatient treatment provided by a pain medicine doctor, sports medicine doctor, or orthopedist. The procedure is considered minimally invasive and carries with it the same potential side effects as any other type of injection. It is a safe treatment and a popular one among athletes looking to get back into competition quickly.
More About the Study
Before getting into what PRP therapy is and how it is administered, let us take a quick look at the previously referenced study. A group of researchers from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences conducted a systematic review of existing literature involving “three randomized controlled trials and one prospective comparative study.”
Their review covered 142 ankle injuries. The study group included eighty-five patients receiving autologous PRP injections. The remaining fifty-seven patients made up the control group and received standard treatment.
Patients in the study group reported better short-term pain relief, functional outcomes, and an earlier return to normal activity, including sports. Long-term outcomes among the two groups were similar, leading researchers to conclude that while both types of treatments are effective, autologous PRP injections seem to work more quickly.
Researchers concluded that “autologous PRP injection appears to play a beneficial role in acute ankle sprains.” They went on to explain that the treatment can help relieve pain, expedite a return to normal activity, and enhance physical function without adverse effects.
A Treatment Based on Healing
PRP injections are among the many treatments offered at Lone Star Pain Medicine in Weatherford, TX. Lone Star doctors explain that PRP therapy is based on healing rather than simply relieving pain. PRP injections consist of platelet-rich plasma (isolated from blood drawn from the patient) and natural growth factors that occur in the blood.
Both the platelets and growth factors are part of a collection of raw ingredients the body would use to heal a sprain. It is believed that PRP injections more or less jump-start the healing process by signaling the body and providing the first round of raw materials.
The ‘autologous’ part of the equation comes from the blood draw. Each patient supplies his own blood for the procedure. Therefore, biological material from one patient is never used to treat another. Each patient provides his own biological material.
The autologous nature of PRP therapy is what makes it compliant with current FDA regulations. As long as doctors use autologous material and refrain from significantly altering it in any way, they can offer the procedure without the need for further approval.
A Quick and Safe Outpatient Procedure
One of the most attractive aspects of PRP therapy is that it is performed as an outpatient procedure. It starts with a simple blood draw similar to what a patient would experience when having a blood test done. The drawn blood is processed in a centrifuge to isolate the platelets and growth factors. That isolated material is then injected at the sight of the patient’s injury.
There is no risk of rejection due to the fact that the biological material is autologous. As for side effects, you are looking at the possibility of infection at the injection site – a side effect attached to all injections.
Data in support of PRP for musculoskeletal injuries is growing. This latest study shows that it is effective as a treatment for ankle sprains.