Recovering from a Sports Injury with Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy

Professional athletes and weekend warriors alike are at risk of suffering from a sports injury. A sports injury is a general term for any kind of injury that occurs during sports or exercise related activities. More specifically, a sports injury commonly refers to an injury involving the musculoskeletal system.

The most common sports injuries are strains and sprains.

If you have experienced a strain or a sprain, the common symptoms are the same:

• Pain around the injured joint
• Swelling
• Limited flexibility
• Difficulty using the joint’s full range of motion

What is the difference between a strain and a sprain?

A strain and a sprain are very similar conditions which is why they’re often mixed up. The main difference between the two is that with a strain, you may have spasms in the injured area (within the muscle), whereas, with a sprain, you may have bruising around the injured area (around the joint).

Some sports injuries are preventable.

When it comes to sports injuries, prevention is key! There are some sports injuries that are actually self-induced. An example is when you try to take on a workout or activity that your body is not conditioned to handle.

Begin every workout with a gentle warm-up routine and stretch out your muscles. This helps to increase the blood flow to the muscles, which can decrease your risk of a muscle injury. And always stay hydrated! Water helps to keep the body functioning properly and helps to keep your body from getting tired as quickly, which can also lead to an injury.

Don’t force your body to do a task it simply isn’t prepared to handle.

Don’t overdo it! If you haven’t done much exercising lately, going for a 3-mile run with a friend can do more harm than good. If you push your body to keep up with someone who runs on a frequent basis, you’re more likely to experience an injury.

Not all sports injuries are preventable.

Even if you stretch, stay hydrated, do a warm-up routine before a big run, you can still be at risk of an injury. While most sports-related injuries are mild to moderate, they can quickly become severe.

Common ways to deal with a strain or sprain.

The most common way to treat a mild or moderate injury is to start with PRICE:

P – Protect from further injury

R – Restrict activity

I – Apply ice

C – Apply compression

E – Elevate the injured area

However, not all injuries will heal in a few hours or days. It isn’t uncommon for a sports injury to take a few months to heal. And if you don’t give the injury the proper time to correctly heal, the damage could become permanent or require surgery to repair it.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy can help!

Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy is available at Northeast Knee and Joint Institute to help you recover from a sports injury. PRP Therapy can shorten the recovery time of a sports-related injury.

How does it work?

By running a vial of your blood through a centrifuge, the platelets and plasma separate from the other components of the blood. This solution contains concentrated growth factors within your platelets to be injected into the damaged area. The growth factors trigger the body’s natural healing response to focus on the targeted area.

 

For a deeper look into the PRP Process, read our blog: Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections: The Process.