Sports injuries take millions of people out of the game each year. In fact, according to one CDC report, nearly 9 million sports-related injuries occur in the United States annually. In most cases, sports injuries happen due to sudden trauma or from overuse or misuse.
J. Michael Bennett, MD, PA, has offices in Houston and Sugar Land, Texas, where he specializes in innovative sports medicine. One of the signature treatments he offers is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. Let’s take a closer look at how PRP can help heal your sports injuries.
Playing sports puts you at risk for many specific injuries. Some of the most common are:
Sprains, strains, and fractures are also quite common among athletes.
Your blood contains microscopic cells called platelets. Their job is to respond to damaged blood vessels by binding together to form a clot and stop bleeding. What’s more, platelets signal to other platelets to come to the scene of the injury, and together, they counteract the injury by growing new healthy tissues to repair the damage.
When you suffer a sports injury, Dr. Bennett works with you to customize a treatment plan that includes using your own blood to accelerate your healing process. A small amount of your blood is drawn and placed in a centrifuge to isolate the platelets at your appointment. The extracted platelets are concentrated and rich in healing proteins and growth factors. With advanced ultrasound technology, he identifies the exact location of your injury, and injects the platelet serum back into your body where you need it most. The number of treatments you need depends on the severity of your injury and where it’s located. In general, 1-3 PRP injections over a few weeks or months is the norm.
Dr. Bennett prefers PRP therapy because it quickly alleviates pain, reduces the need for medications, and goes to work immediately to rebuild damaged tissues and cells. His goal is to get you back out on the field, the court, the track, or the trail so you can resume the sport you love as soon as safely possible.
To learn more about how PRP can help you recover from your sports injuries, call today, or use the online scheduling option to book at your convenience.
