Looking for non-traditional ways to treat your foot problem? Do you need a break from your foot pain that won't go away? Imagine a new kind of treatment that fastens your recovery by using your body's own healing abilities. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy is a new treatment in podiatry that is changing the life quality of patients with foot conditions. PRP not only alleviates foot pain but also boosts the healing speed.
Let's see how PRP can help with foot pain and what problems it can fix.
What is PRP?
PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. Platelets from a person's own blood are used in PRP therapy to help a wound heal. This method has helped people with a lot of different foot and ankle problems, like Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and foot sores.
How does PRP work?
Platelet-rich plasma contains platelets, which are the first responders to soft tissue injury. Platelets have growth factors in them that can help the body get better. For faster healing, PRP is put into the hurt area and speeds up the body's natural healing process.
How is PRP performed in podiatry?
A small amount of blood is taken from the patient's arm during PRP therapy. The blood is then put through a centrifuge to sort the platelets and growth factors. After that, it is put into the affected part of the foot.
You don't have to stay at the hospital for a PRP treatment; it can be done in the office in less than 30 minutes.
What are the Benefits of PRP in Podiatry?
- It is an effective and safe procedure.
- It can be done quickly and easily in a podiatrist's office.
- Its side effects are not severe.
A study in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders found that PRP is a better way to treat Achilles tendonitis than cortisone treatments. Another 2017 study found that PRP helps people with plantar fasciitis feel less pain and improve their mobility.
What conditions can be treated with PRP?
- Musculoskeletal conditions:
- Achilles tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Ligament sprains and tears
- Ankle sprains
- Muscle strains and sprains
- Tennis elbow
- Rotator cuff tendinitis
- Patellar tendinitis
- Meniscus tears
- Orthopedic conditions:
- In one study, PRP was used for foot and ankle treatment in high-risk patients. The average time it took for the wounds to heal was 41 days. It took 40 days for 95% of ankle surgeries to heal, but it only took 38 days for all forefoot surgeries to heal.
- PRP treatment has been used to help bones heal better after complications occurred during orthopedic procedures. This includes making recovery better after:
- Brain surgery
- Fusion of the spine
- Other surgeries of spine
- It can also help reduce pain associated with bone fractures and may even result in a shorter recovery period.
- Wound healing:
- PRP has also been used successfully to treat wounds, such as:
- Diabetic foot
- Chronic infections
- Slipped discs
- Also, PRP can help amputated limbs heal faster by making new blood vessels grow and helping tissues grow back.
Are there any risks and side effects of PRP?
In general, PRP treatment is safe, but there are some risks and side effects that come with it. Most people who get PRP treatment have pain where the shot was made. Some other possible side effects are:
- Infection
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Stiffness
Most of the time, these side effects go away on their own in a few days or weeks. Rarely, more serious complications can occur, such as nerve damage or blood clotting.
Conclusion
PRP therapy is much better than traditional methods because it is less invasive and doesn't have any major side effects. Anyone who is considering any kind of PRP therapy should always talk to their doctor first. Contact our office at Meridian Podiatry to learn more.
References
⦁ Everts, P., Onishi, K., Jayaram, P., Lana, J. F., & Mautner, K. (2020). Platelet-Rich Plasma: New Performance Understandings and Therapeutic Considerations in 2020. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(20), 7794. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207794
⦁ Sharma, R., Chaudhary, N.K., Karki, M. et al. Effect of platelet-rich plasma versus steroid injection in plantar fasciitis: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 24, 172 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-023-06277-1
⦁ Yang, W. Y., Han, Y. H., Cao, X. W., Pan, J. K., Zeng, L. F., Lin, J. T., & Liu, J. (2017). Platelet-rich plasma as a treatment for plantar fasciitis: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Medicine, 96(44), e8475. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000008475
⦁ Gandhi, A., Bibbo, C., Pinzur, M., & Lin, S. S. (2005). The role of platelet-rich plasma in foot and ankle surgery. Foot and ankle clinics, 10(4), 621–viii. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcl.2005.06.009
