1. There Is History Behind It
Despite what many people believe, PRP injections are not new. Neither are stem cell injections. Doctors and clinics have been using them for decades for a variety of purposes. PRP injections have been used to encourage better bone healing following spinal surgery. Plastic surgeons have been relying on PRP injections to promote soft tissue recovery for years. PRP therapy is not new, and it is not quackery.
2. Athletes Swear by It
The whole point of sports medicine is to treat athletes, right? So it’s important to understand what athletes think about PRP injections. Just do a quick Internet search and you will find all the information you need to know. In short, there is no shortage of athletes who swear by it.
Professional baseball players, particularly pitchers, rave about PRP injections to help heal elbow injuries that would otherwise require surgery. Football players frequently talk about how regenerative medicine saved their knees. Pro tennis players talk about PRP injections for tennis elbow. The list goes on and on.
3. It Is Minimally Invasive
One thing nearly every athlete fears is sustaining injuries serious enough to require surgery. The problem with surgery is its invasiveness. Going under the knife may get an athlete back into competition at some point in the future but it could also end that athlete’s competitive career. Surgery is risky; there is no way around it. PRP is minimally invasive, and therefore minimally risky.
4. It Actually Promotes Natural Healing
Another big appeal of PRP therapy for athletes is that it actually promotes healing. Drugs mask symptoms while surgeries aim to fix problems mechanically. PRP injections, along with their stem cell cousins, encourage the body to heal itself rather than relying on external means.
Scarring is something else to consider in the arena of natural healing. The formation of scar tissue can hinder an athlete’s performance, which is why invasive surgeries do not always produce the best results. PRP injections do not leave scars behind. Furthermore, the growth factors in blood platelets limit the formation of internal scar tissue. This promotes better healing.
5. The Applications Are Numerous
Finally, PRP injections are ideal for athletes because the applications are numerous. Sports medicine doctors use the injections to treat ligaments, tendons, muscle, and cartilage. PRP injections have applications for stress fractures and knee injuries as well.
