ACCELERATION OF REPARATIVE TISSUE AND REGENERATION OF THE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM

Growth factors in sports medical conditions

PRP IN PREVENTING THE DETERIORATION OF OUR JOINTS

Blood is made up of four major components: red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma (lymph), and platelets. The “cellular” portion of blood is composed of red blood cells (91 percent), platelets (6 percent), and white blood cells (1 percent). Plasma is the straw-colored medium within which all the other components are suspended. Plasma is what that allows blood to be fluid. Without plasma, the heart couldn’t pump the remaining slurry of red cells, white cells, platelets, hormones, and other molecules.

For most people, the only time we are aware of plasma is when we have a skin abrasion. As a child, you probably noticed a sticky yellow gel that formed at the edges of a scar when you skinned your elbows or knees – that’s plasma.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a specific portion of your plasma that is separated from a vial of your blood in a centrifuge. PRP contains an unusually high concentration of platelets (5-10 times the number in normal blood), hence the name.

Platelets are cell-like organelles (cells without a nucleus) that are essential to blood clotting. Platelets also accelerate the wound healing process on a cellular level by signaling local stem cells to increase the production of new tissues (proliferation), which tissues (differentiation), directing the movement of these newly formed cells (chemotaxis), their shape (morphogenesis), the formation of new capillaries and vessels (angiogenesis).

Recent data indicates that platelets release a pulse of bioactive glycoproteins — commonly called “growth factors” (or more specifically as chemokines and cytokines). These bioactive proteins are responsible for signaling your body’s microscopic repair mechanisms that is time to take action.

Because PRP therapy involves using your body’s own plasma, there is virtually no possibility of rejection or an allergic reaction. Likewise, since nothing foreign is being injected, the risk of infection is extremely low, especially since platelets are part of the body’s defense mechanism against unwanted microbes like bacteria and viruses.

There are also no know systemic (side) effects from PRP therapy, although it is normal to feel pain and swelling near the injection sites. This is part of the body’s healing process. This pain and inflammation usually peaks within 24 hours and disappears after a couple of days.

Reasons to consider PRP therapy

• Extremely effective
• Minimal down time (if any)
• Very low risk of complications and systemic effects
• Short recovery time
• No surgery or implants, so the results look natural
• Longer lasting results
• Accelerated and enhanced healing process
• Reduced trauma and inflammation
• Cost effective treatment