Austin Orthopedic Institute
Board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, joint reconstruction, and orthopedic trauma, with over 15 years of surgical expertise.
AustinOI.com • 512-856-1000
Your Body’s Natural Healing Power
If you’ve heard about professional athletes using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to speed up recovery, you might wonder if this treatment could help you too. As an orthopedic surgeon, I’ve seen how PRP helps both young athletes and active adults heal faster from injuries.
What is PRP Therapy?
Many people refer to PRP as stem cells. This is technically incorrect, but the concept is similar. PRP therapy uses your own blood to help heal injuries. Here’s how it works:
We take a small blood sample, spin it in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, then inject those platelets into the injured area.
Think of platelets as your body’s natural repair team. PRP gives you at least five times more healing platelets than normal, supercharging your body’s repair process. These platelets release growth factors that tell your body to build new, healthy tissue.
How PRP Helps Young Athletes
For student athletes, PRP can be a game-changer. Young bodies heal well naturally, and PRP makes them even better. My own son had a recurring hamstring tear that threatened his senior football season. After PRP injection, he returned to the starting lineup five weeks later and finished the season strong, even playing in the state championship.
PRP works especially well for common sports injuries like muscle strains, tennis elbow, knee pain, Achilles problems, and partially torn ligaments.
Benefits for Active Adults
As we age, healing slows down—but PRP helps bridge the gap. I’ve had great success treating arthritis pain, chronic shoulder issues, persistent elbow pain, and hip or knee problems that limit activity.
What to Expect
The PRP procedure is simple and done in-office:
- Blood Draw: 60–90 cc from your arm
- Processing: 15 minutes in a centrifuge
- Injection: Concentrated platelets into injury site
- Recovery: Home same day
The whole process takes 30–45 minutes. Most say the injection feels like a regular shot.
Recovery and Results
You may feel soreness at the injection site for up to three days—this is normal and signals healing. Most return to regular activity within days, though strenuous exercise should wait 3–4 weeks.
Many notice improvement within two to four weeks, with continued progress over 3–6 months as new tissue forms.
Important Considerations
PRP is considered experimental by insurance, so patients pay out-of-pocket (HSA accounts can be used). Studies show over 80 percent patient satisfaction, with pain relief lasting 12–24 months or more.
Because it uses your own blood, there’s virtually no allergy risk. Serious complications are rare and less likely than with steroid injections.
Is PRP Right for You?
PRP may help if you’ve tried other treatments without success, want to avoid surgery, have chronic pain, or are recovering slowly from injury.
The goal isn’t just to treat symptoms—it’s to help your body heal so you can return to an active, pain-free life. In a consultation, we’ll evaluate your condition and determine if PRP is right for you.