non surgical repair

George, the “weeks of inactivity and the need for boots or crutches” isn’t because of the PRP injections, it’s because of a torn AT.

Either with or without surgery, a post-rupture AT needs a little TLC before you start tugging hard on it again.

The PRP injection(s) may (or may not) speed the recovery.

I had to wear the boot and be on crutches because my achilles tendon was around 90% torn, so in my situation the PRP was done in place of a reconstructive tendon surgery. I had the first injection in May 09 with a second in Sept 09 and everything seems to be back together. I am now still working on rebuilding the calf muscle, which was also injured and had atrophied due to the lack of proper use. If it can help put mine back together it should work pretty good on little tears from tendonosis. Good luck

I have been diagnosed with Achilles tendinosis (f/k/a tendinitis) I will be getting the PRP injection. My doctor at HSS in NYC was very up front about the Dutch study published in JAMA a few weeks ago, and referred to earlier in this blog by normofthenorth. My doctor was surprised by the studies outcome because in his experience, PRP has been 70% to 80% successful in treating minor/micro tearing in the Achilles tendon. I believe I will be getting just one injection, followed by 4-5 days of reduced activity. I was surrpised by some of the earlier posts describing weeks of inactivity and the need for boots or crutches following the injection, but perhaps their condition was more serious than my own. Good luck to everyone. I will let you know how my PRP therapy works out.

I have prp injection in my right knee I know cost a lot many but we have our health ones and the money is the problem, I felt 40% better after 2 weeks and I going for my second shot and the end of the months I will be ok I need my knee I don’t have another alternative just to replace my knee ,prp is doing a good have the insurance shoul cobver this procedure I don’t know why not to be covered

I recently finished a round (3) of PRP injections as part of the non-surgical “cure” for my second ATR. Cdn$400 x 3, with free ultrasounds thrown in by Ontario’s universal med-insurance plan “OHIP”.

There have been NO good (randomized) studies finished on PRP on ATR patients, though my surgeon just told me that one is underway.

The first randomized study on PRP was just published about a week ago, on AT tendinopathy patients. It found that the PRP was exactly as helpful as saline-solution injections. That may or may not mean that I wasted my money and time (and yes, it was painful for me, but that’s also no big deal to me). All the patients in the study did exercise, and they all improved (avg.) by 20-odd percent.

My physio thinks that the two conditions (tendinopathy and rupture) are very different, so he thinks it’s not surprising that PRP didn’t do much for tendinopathy, but it still might be “magic” for ATR.

My surgeon (he IS a fancy surgeon, but he didn’t operate on me, because the new studies are showing that there’s no benefit from ATR surgery!) isn’t impressed with the study, “not a very good study”. His main bee

Had rotator cuff shoulder surgery for a “massive” 3 tendon tear 2 weeks ago. had 1st (of 4 or 5) PRP injection today to try to help the healing process post op and hopefully help prevent a re-tear. There was absolutely no pain and the only anesthetic was a freeze spray (no lidocaine, no nothing just pure PRP). The only pain was the $700 it will cost per injection - not too into the $2800 to $3500 this will cost, but I only have 1 left shoulder. People should stop the BS about PRP injects being painful - it doesn’t hurt nearly as much as what you are getting the shot for in the 1st place, and in my case it was painless. Sure wish PRP was around 10 years ago when I had ACL surgery on my knee. Think about it people, the logic and biology of PRP is simple and obvious. I’m thinking about robbing a bank so I can get injected into various other joints that hurt!

please update me on the prp injections for knee tendonitis.
I am desperate for an answer

Hey all,
I just had a PRP shot done on my left knee as I have pes anserine bursitis & tendonitis in both knees. I found the procedure produced a pain Ive never felt before, and while it seemed to be going well & the bruising was looking more green than purple (sign of healing), it’s now back to its original dark purple color. It was 23 days ago I had the procedure & am having some serious doubts. I’ve done everything else ie: physical therapy, electic stim., massage therapy, accupuncture, ice, rest, elevation, ibuprofen, 3 sets of cortisone shots & tons of stretching. NOTHING has worked & I’m starting to think I’m now out of non-surgical options & surgery is the only thing left. Has anyone else experienced pes anserine bursitis or tendonitis on the interior part of your knee(s)?

Hey everyone,
Have been suffering with pain in my right achilles for about three years. Continued to overuse during this period up until last October when the pain simply became too painful to continue. Had an MRI done and found that the tendon was torn longitudally - Doctor recommended PRP. Had the injection three weeks ago and am following the doctors instructions to be walking short distances at this stage. I just wanted to know is it normal to still have soreness at this stage? Any comments would be appreciated

Just had my injection 2 days ago,sorry I waited so long. The whole procedure was almost painless. The injection to numb my elbow I didn’t even feel. the only pain I felt was at the end when he injected the plama into the tendon and it was not that bad. 2 days of medium pain and I can’t believe the difference. I need to get the other elbow done and have to wait 12 weeks. Put away your anxiety, and get this done. Therapy for strengthening and strecting is next. I almost feel new

Hey all,

I had a PRP injectiong for non-healing severe golfer’s elbow (tendonitis) that I actually got from lifting very heavy weights.

I stopped working out upper body for six months with NO change or improved healing. At the year point, I went to see Dr. Cosgarea (ortho for the Baltimore Orioles). He told me to try phys. therapy one more time and then the next option was surgery.

During my phys. therapy, the excellent therapist told me about PRP.

I did my research and chose to travel to the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC (rated best ortho hospital in the nation). My Dr. was Dr. Brian Halpern. He’s executed about 300 PRP injections… meaning he has a lot of experience.

I had the procedure done at the beginning of Oct. 2009. Now at almost the 4 month point, I am 100% pain free for daily activities and 90% pain free for pushing motions in the gym.

I’m still no approved for bicep curls or rowing motions and was advised to wait another two months before trying these activities.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU: PRP WORKED WONDERFULLY FOR ME.

The pain of the numbing shot is NOTHING compared to the benefits and if you are

Same situation as SBsurfer (I’m a surfer too) I think I might have seen him over at the SLAP surgery site. Anyway I’m on my way in 15 minutes to for the prp injection for tendonitis on the petellar tendon.. Had ACL about ten years ago. ACL works great but lots of pain ever since where they used part of the tendon for the surgery. We’ll see. I think I’ll pop a percocet ( Still have them from the SLAP repair) Sounds like this is gonna hurt!!

i am a 49 yr old runner with persistent and debilitating plantar fasciitis, in various treatments for a solid year. cortisone shots were a disaster - too much and caused its own damage to add to the problem. had 5 prolo therapy shots with some improvement, and then had PRP yesterday. Very, very painful, which i was not completely prepared for. But after reading everything i can get my hands on about this procedure, i am very hopeful for a full recovery. my concern is whether or not to have an additional injection, if recommended — there seems to be some controversy on whether this is a one shot deal or not. i can’t walk and am using crutches, but it is already better than yesterday.

I contacted my insurance company today, and PRP injections are being covered. All those that are not sure should check with their insurance company, there has been alot of press about the injections maybe the insurance companies are taking notice.

Am going in for PRP today for a torn rotator cuff in left shoulder with calcification & bursitis. Have had numerous cortisone injections into the site with success but it only lasts 3 months at best. I am not a good candidate for surgery b/c I’ve had serious staph infections from lumbar fusions and other minor surgeries and procedures. I wouldn’t want to go through the staph recovery process again and no one in their right mind would want to open me up. I have done a lot of research on the PRP procedure and found that it holds a lot of hope for many injuries, especially with partial tears and recurring pain. I will post again after the procedure.

In all honesty I would avoid any surgery at all cost due to the possibility of infections.

What I meant to say was “waste of”…. and oh, yeah, they’re really not that painful. I mean it doesn’t feel good but they don’t hurt that bad at all. Mind over matter, people.

I’m a college basketball players and had PRP done on both of my achilles tendons for mild tendonosis(by the guy who created PRP) and after 6 weeks(followed rehab to the T) they feel as bad as they did before. Wish I just would have had surgery. Was of 1100 dollars and more importantly 6 weeks.

I had a prp injection into my rectus abdominus tendon 7 days ago for tendonosis. I am still aching and I agree that the injection process was horribly painful. If I have to have another injection I am going to ask to be numbed up. I ended up hurting my back as I tensed so hard during the injections (I think I got about 20 needle sticks).

I am a marathoner and I have had achilles tendonosis since August. Tried PT, boot, ART treatments, acupuncutre, no running since August. I have been reading up about PRP injections for achilles tendonosis. Has anyone had the shots for this? Has it worked? How long is the recovery - i.e., how long to get back on the roads? Does an orthopaedist do it? i know in my area, the pain specialists do it. thanks so much

I am considering having a PRP injection for patellar (knee) tendonitis. I had my shoulder surgically repaired (labrum tear) 6 weeks ago and requested that the surgeon use a PRP injection on the surgery site during the procedure. This was a highly experimental procedure with only one research project that shows significant improvement with this kind of repair. Hard to say how much the PRP shot did but I can say that my recovery has been extremely fast and pain free compared to a typical recovery. This has given me faith in these injections and I am willing to give it a try on my knee tendonitis. Anyone have any success with knee tendonitis?? I know it isnt covered by insurance so money isnt my concern at this pont, results are.

Laura, I’ve had both my SI joints in my lower back done. I’d say its 80% better. Unlike other areas, the lower back injections barely hurt during or after the injections. It will take about 3-4 weeks till you notice a difference. Follow the Drs instructions too for max benefits.

I am having the PRP procedure this Friday. I have been deal with chronic tendinitis for 2 years. I have been a Manicurist for 30years and my left arm is tired.
I am concerned about the time off work since the injury is due to my over use of the arm. Doc said 1 week and I will be back to work….Can anyone give me some input?? Also, I am nervous about the pain that some of you have discribed….Is it really that painful…be honest.
Thanks

Anybody tried it for plantar fasciaitis/heel spurs? I’ve been having problems for ~ 2 years-had PT (I am a PT so it’s tough to submit) for Iontophorisis, ex and night splinting, 3 Cortisone injections with 1-2 month improvments and the 3rd shots are now wearing off. My Ortho has wanted me to try this for about 9 months but I wanted to try “just one more Cortisone”. The Cortione injection directly into the heel was really painful last time so I’m getting nervous about this, but almost ready to give it a try.

I will agree that it was very painful. It wasn’t bad enough for me to use pain medication but I did keep it on ice. I have had it done twice now to help heal my torn achilles tendon. The first time I was on crutches for three weeks after the injection and in a boot for eight weeks. The injection made a significant improvement in the tendon but it wasn’t completely healed, so the doctor did a second one at 14 weeks after the first. After the second one I was on crutches for a week, which it was so sore the first couple of days I couldn’t have walked on it if I would have wanted to. That was four weeks ago and the tendon seems to be much stronger. I walk most of the day with barely a limp until later in the day when it gets a little sore although a big part of my problem is still an extremely weak calf muscle, which I believe causes the limping. I am not suppose to push strengthening the calf muscle for another two weeks as the injection is most effective for the first six weeks.

Considering I could barely walk before I had the first injection and now I can walk all day with very little soreness and hardly a limp, I would s

i had the injection in my left elbow earlier today. the pain of the injection was truly excruciating. it took me two hours, and an injection of propofal, to simply sit up in the doctor’s office from the shock. i was unable to drive home or move even a finger. i was seeing stars–nearly blacked out and got sick.

the doctor said that different people react differently–but my reaction is not all that unusual.

i was NO WAY warned of this level of pain. i would never let a loved one do this without anesthesia of some sort. it’s now 10 hours later and i’m in bed on full pain meds. i can’t lift my arm or make a fist — i can wiggle my fingers though.

i hope this works for me—the injection was the worst pain i’ve ever experienced.

I am scheduled to have this done in 2 weeks on my lower back. Has anyone had it done on their lower back? I’d love any feedback if you have.

Hey guys,
I had the PRP done to my right elbow 8 weeks ago. I am a tennis pro, so sitting for 8 weeks is not good. I have 30% better rotation and it is definately healing. I will not be able to play competetively for another 2-3 weeks.I have felt a definate fix to the tear. I know the procedure has worked as I am stronger and feel that within the 2 weeks I will be back to 80%.
A total of 10 weeks off

well im over a month in on the prp injection and i can honestly say it still hurts from the shot however the pain from the tendoinitis is gone YES GONE im still babying my arm becasue i want to make sure i recive the full benifit from the shot but i wlll be back in the gym sometime this month… as far as your knee… I have no clue sorry…

Mario

SullyKerry-

I am a 36 year old female distance runner, I run multiple marathons annually sometimes very close together. I also have patellar tendonitis and also work for orthopedic surgeons. I would NOT reccomend this procedure for this issue, I wear a brace when I run and also calf sleeves help and or course rest/ice. I’m not sure about the others who have had the PRP injection but from an insurance stand point it is a non-covered service and your DR. might have you sign a waiver stating this, therefore making you responsible for the entire procedure. Hope this helps.

I have been reading up on Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) in order to help my daughter make a decision. She is a middle distance runner (Cross-country, indoor and outdoor track) for a Division 1 program. She is 21 years old and has suffered from repeated knee tendonitis, also known as Patellar (Kneecap) Tendonitis. She has seen several specialists. One specialist identified the problem as air bubbles being trapped in the knee muscles. She recently visited one of the better known hospitals in the NE. The attending orthopaedic physician recommended the PRP procedure. Are thee any avid runners in this string who have used PRP to address “runner’s knee”? If so what has been your result? What was the recovery time? Could you run/compete at the same level or better? Many thanks. I look forward to your responses. A concerned Dad

All stories sound great, what I would like to know is the amount of time required for the results. I have a 50% torn quadracept muscle tear from my patella. Traditional surgery with PT is around 12 - 16 weeks. What is this methods time frame? Any information is appreciated and should be sent to my email account:
vr54@skywi.com

Well Hello everyone, I just stumbled across this thread after searching for (post prp injection). I just had my right elbow prp injection yesterday for my tendonitis (Thursday 8/13/2009) @ the Cleveland Clinic Sports center, so I was in really good hands. I’m a 37 year old man in very good physical condition, very active in the gym. My problem has been ongoing for about 2 years. So 3 cortisone shots later I was thinking next step (surgery). Then my doc mentions how a lot of pro sports players that they take care of i.e.: Cleveland browns, Indians and Cavs are having this procedure done with a great success ratio. So I did what most of you have done (research on the procedure) prior to having it done. I did not look for any post injection information I guess because I was more concerned with the initial procedure. So I will share my experience with you here. I watched the whole procedure. They drew the blood 30cc’s took it to the spinner to separate then prepared the injection. I had 2.5cc of good stuff prp doc said that was low. Anyway, they shot me with lidocaine and then the prp. And OMG did it hurt! He told me that this shot woul

Was curious what DR performed PRP and was it covered by your insurance carrier I”m looking into it. Thanks

can reply to me dgmarion@comcast.net

I have been going to the same doctor for almost 6 years now due to injures to my left knee from repo work in the Washington DC area. My doctor wanted me to get this injection today, but with the type of work I do the recovery time is just not in the cards right now. I have done a lot of research on this, and any arthritis patients should look into this. You stated that the recovery has not been hard, can you tell me what the worst part of this injection is? Any additional information on PRP would be great.

I agree with Doug53. There are people that don’t have surgery and only wear casts and allow it to heal on its own. The PRP injection is just expediting the natural healing process.

My tendon was not completely torn but was only hanging on by a thread and was ready to completely tear apart at any minute. I had the PRP injection done into the part that was still holding together eight weeks ago. My doctor told me that my situation with an almost complete tear and the torn ends being frayed like they were was actually a worse situation than a clean tear because there wasn’t enough healthy tissue to surgically reattach. For my situation the injection sounded like a better fix and easier recovery than surgery.

At eight weeks, I am currently walking in two shoes with just a little limp. Every day that I walk everything feels stronger and I walk a little better. The doctor wanted me to walk on flat surfaces for two weeks after I was out of the boot to start to strengthen it before I started physical therapy. I will be starting physical therapy next week to start strengthening things even more, especially my calf muscle which i

Hockeyman is misinformed. PRP use is not limited to overuse injuries and small tears, although those are situations where PRP may be used often and work well as our knowledge of this promising new technique grows. PRP is also being injected during surgical Achilles repairs, as well as part of nonsurgical Achilles treatment. There are examples of both in this blog community.

Hey guys,

A couple of things. Joe, if your tendon is ruptured, you need surgery not PRP. PRP is for overuse injuries or small tears. A rupture is a complete break in the tendon (ie your calf is no longer attached to your heel in any way) and this necessitates surgery. I hope you didn’t hold off on it to check out PRP. Using PRP on a ruptured tendon would kinda be like breaking a rubber band and without moving the ends back together, putting glue in between the ends (visualize the ends about a half inch apart). Sure, it could work out but the rubber band probably wouldnt be very functional anymore. Although you need surgery for the ruptured tendon, PRP could help with your post-op recovery.

PRP is completely different from stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are the pluripotent in the process known as differentiation by which the stem cell is capable of maturing into any cell type found in the body. So if a pluripotent stem cell is placed in culture with cardiac muscle, the stem cell will differentiate into cardiac muscle. At least in theory. The current difficulty is getting the principle to transfer to in vivo stud

I am currently at eight weeks after the injection and so far so good. The doctor said that he can not tell the difference between my injured one and my good one. I just started today with two shoes full time. I go for two more weeks with level slow walking and light stretching excercises and then I will more intense physical therapy to strengthen everything. If I walk a lot it is still sore and since my calf muscle was also injured during my injury it is has not been built back up and is also extremely weak, so I limp a lttle unless I walk very slow. The injection was a little painful and it was quite sore for about the first five weeks while it was healing but nothing compared to surgery. I did have a second post titled PRP injection is working at 6 weeks if you haven’t read it.

Anyone hear anything else about PRP? I’m going to ask my Dr. about it and report back.

The basic theory of it is based on stem cell research from what I have read. It is basically using your own bodies healing process by speeding it up and localizing it to a damaged area.

I have not heard of that - VERY interesting. I’d like to mainline some, think that would be a bad idea? LOL Maybe push it around on a drip? Kidding!

That’s very cool though. Wish they would have injected some of that during my surgery. I want to research that a bit. Is it like stem cell?

I’m glad to hear this. I had PRP injected into my surgically repaired tendon during the operation.

oh man! I just ruptured mine this past sunday may 17,09 jogging with my son. I went to the doc. today they want me in surgery tomorrow. I’m skeptical. I’m lucky to find this site. Hopefully I’ll find someone in the d.c. area soon! thank you and good luck to you.

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