- #100 - 325 Manning Rd NE Calgary, AB, T2E 2P5
- (403) 265-3838
- (403) 351-8882 (FAX)
- #100 - 325 Manning Rd NE Calgary, AB, T2E 2P5
- (403) 265-3838
- (403) 351-8882 (FAX)
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Orthobiologics is an emerging area of medicine where concentrated doses of a patient’s own cells are used to treat degenerating or injured joints, and soft tissues by reducing inflammation and enhancing healing.
One orthobiologic treatment is platelet-rich plasma, or “PRP” is often being considered as an option to treat a variety of muscle, bone and joint conditions. The role of platelets is to signal to the body that an injury needs to be healed. By drawing your own blood, and concentrating the platelets through centrifugation we create produce a cocktail of cells and growth factors known to control inflammation and establish healthier joint, tendon and bursa tissue.
The body of research around its use is growing but not definitive. As such, these injections are not insured but may be considered as an effective alternative.
When you start to experience pain relief, it is important to address muscle weakness and posture issues. Doing so will improve and lengthen the relief. The physiotherapists at Vivo Cura Health can help you with this effort.
We recommend that you avoid taking anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac aspirin) for at least one week prior to PRP injection and 1 month following.
On the day of the treatment your blood will be drawn from a vein in your arm. This blood will be placed into a special centrifuge machine designed specifically for producing platelet-rich plasma. The separation and concentration process will take about 15 minutes to produce the platelet-rich plasma. During this time your physician will re-evaluate the injured area and pinpoint the exact area for treatment. The area will be frozen with a local anesthetic. The concentrated platelet-rich plasma will then be injected into the injured area using a sterile procedure and imaging guidance. The entire procedure should take approximately 60 minutes. You should expect mild discomfort/pain during the procedure.
Following the PRP injection(s), you should allow the injected site to rest as much as possible for 1-2 days. Then, resume normal everyday activities but don’t do anything unnecessarily strenuous for 2 weeks. After that, return to or start an exercise program that will strengthen the muscles that support the joint that was injected. A physical therapist can help you with this. It may take up to a couple of months for symptoms to improve and a 2nd PRP treatment is commonly required.
