Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has emerged as one of the most promising regenerative treatments for joint and tendon pain. By harnessing your body’s own healing mechanisms, PRP offers a minimally invasive alternative to surgery and corticosteroid injections for conditions affecting the knees and shoulders.
Understanding PRP Therapy
PRP therapy involves drawing a small sample of your blood, processing it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets and their growth factors, and then injecting this concentrated preparation directly into the affected area under ultrasound guidance. Platelets contain numerous growth factors and signaling proteins that play crucial roles in tissue repair, inflammation reduction, and cellular regeneration.
PRP for Knee Pain
Knee pain from osteoarthritis, meniscal injuries, and tendinopathies responds particularly well to PRP therapy. For knee osteoarthritis, research has demonstrated that PRP injections can provide superior pain relief and functional improvement compared to traditional treatments like hyaluronic acid and corticosteroid injections. The growth factors in PRP help reduce cartilage inflammation, slow degenerative processes, and stimulate natural repair mechanisms.
For meniscal injuries, PRP supports healing in chronic tears that may not require surgical repair. Patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee) and other overuse conditions also show improved healing trajectories with PRP treatment compared to conventional approaches.
PRP for Shoulder Pain
Shoulder conditions — particularly rotator cuff injuries, glenohumeral osteoarthritis, and bursitis — represent another area where PRP demonstrates significant promise. For rotator cuff tears and tendinopathy, PRP may enhance tendon healing and improve functional outcomes. In shoulder osteoarthritis and bursitis, PRP reduces pain and inflammation while potentially decreasing the need for repeated corticosteroid injections.
Who Is a Good Candidate for PRP?
Ideal candidates typically have mild to moderate osteoarthritis, chronic tendon injuries that haven’t responded to conventional treatment, a desire to avoid or postpone surgery, and realistic expectations about results and timeline. PRP may be less effective for severe, advanced joint degeneration where significant structural damage has already occurred.
What to Expect
The PRP procedure typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. After a blood draw, the sample is processed for approximately 15 minutes before injection. You may experience mild soreness at the injection site for a few days. Results typically develop gradually over several weeks as the growth factors stimulate tissue repair. Many patients benefit from a series of two to three injections spaced several weeks apart.
Why Choose Modal Pain for PRP
Our specialists have extensive experience with regenerative medicine techniques and use ultrasound guidance to ensure precise delivery of PRP to the targeted tissue. We evaluate each patient individually to determine whether PRP is the most appropriate treatment for their specific condition.
