Footballer’S (Soccer) Ankle
Footballer’s ankle occurs when the soft tissue (tendons and ligaments) in the ankle get pinched between the bones. It is caused by repetitive and excessive kicking, as well as bending and stretching of the foot. Due to these factors, the ligaments can thicken and cause bone growth at the front of the ankle, causing pain and discomfort. An ankle arthroscopy may be required if the patient’s injury does not respond to rehabilitative exercises and physical therapy, or if the bone growth is too large.
Athletic Shoulder Injuries
Athletes are especially susceptible to issues involving shoulder injuries. Although possible for all athletes, especially vulnerable are athletes who use their arms overhead in sports such as basketball, volleyball, swimming and others. Some of the issues include injuries such as: frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), biceps tendon injuries, rotator cuff tears and dislocated shoulder, and/or shoulder instability to name a few.
Repetitive shoulder dislocation should and could be avoided in active athletes with proper diagnosis and arthroscopic repair. After opening small incisions, the camera and small surgical tools will be inserted to repair the Superior Labrum Anterior and Posterior.
Groin Injuries
A groin strain is a common ailment of athletes and is due to an injury or tear of any of the adductor muscles of the thigh. Before starting treatment, several other possibilities must be eliminated such as:
- Inguinal hernia
- Urological issues such as Chronic Prostatitis
- Osteitis Pubis
A thorough physical examination by an experienced sports medicine doctor and an MRI may determine the severity of the strain and a course of action.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (Prp) Therapy
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy uses injections of a patient’s own platelets to accelerate the healing of injured tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints. With this method, PRP injections use each individual patient’s own healing system to improve musculoskeletal problems.
What are Platelets?
Platelets are tiny blood cells that help your body form clots to stop bleeding. Our blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. A normal blood sample should have a reading of 93% red blood cells, 6% platelets and 1% white blood cells. The goal of PRP therapy is to manipulate the blood withdrawn from the patient to a count of 5% red blood cells and 94% platelets. Although initially thought to only have a role in clotting blood, platelets have proven in recent years to be an effective treatment in healing wounds due to trauma and injury.
How Does it Work?
Alpha granules are a cellular component of platelets containing several growth factors. An activator is added to the PRP solution for platelet activation, which engages the growth of pseudopods to envelop the injured tissue. In order to achieve its objective, platelets are delivered to the injured area through the patient’s normal blood flow. PRP therapy is also known as Regenerative Cell Therapy due to its main objective of repairing damaged tissue.
PRP Solution
The physician will draw 30-60 ml of blood from the patient. The blood sample is then put into a centrifuge or other specialized device that spins at a high rate of speed to separate platelets from other blood components. The concentration of platelets is subsequently injected into the area of the patient’s body that is in need of treatment.
Uses of PRP Therapy
Joint Disease
- Knee or Ankle Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis of the shoulder
- Rotator Cuff Tears
- Elbow & Wrist Osteoarthritis
- Pain and loss of motion in joints after surgery
Chronic Joint Disorders
- Lateral and medial epicondylitis
- Patellar tendinopathy
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Piriformis syndrome
- Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD)
- Hamstring tendonitis or tear
- Bicep tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
Waist
- Spinal stenosis
- Facet joint disorders
- Annulus Fibrosis tears
- Sacroiliac joint syndrome
Athletic Injuries
- Acute Muscle Tears
- Achilles Tendon injuries
- Knee Ligament injuries (ACL/PCL)
Other Uses
- Dental Implant Surgery
- Maxillofacial Surgery
- Plastic Surgery
- Urology
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Cosmetic
Is PRP Therapy Safe?
Because PRP is derived from your own blood, there is no chance of having an allergic or immune reaction. Recent studies have shown that the antibacterial properties of PRP serve as a protectant against infections. Up to 3 PRP injections will be administered within a 6 month timeframe, and are usually performed 2-3 weeks apart. One more injection may be administered 6-12 months after the initial 3 injections. Most people can resume their normal activities almost immediately after their injection. The average time from blood-drawing to the injection itself is usually about half an hour.
After PRP Treatment
The treatment area may be sore for 2-3 days, but will subside as the healing takes effect. Pain killers, such as acetaminophen, and ice therapy are effective in dealing with the initial pain period. Heavy lifting and athletic activities should be avoided for the first few days after treatment, and may be resumed according to the speed of healing.
Benefits of PRP Therapy
Some of the key advantages of PRP injections are that they can reduce the need for anti-inflammatories or stronger medications like opioids. The treatment also helps avoid more aggressive methods such as surgery. Side effects due to PRP are very rare and limited since the injections are created from the patient’s own blood.
