What was your injury that was treated with prp?
Achilles
Did you try any other therapy before you opted for prp treatment?
I’ve tried pretty much everything – PT, ART, nitro patches, time off, eccentric exercises, etc., etc., etc.
Why did your physician decide to utilize prp for this injury?
I’ve been researching the various treatments for achilles tendinosis and pursued it on my own.
Did your physician have you follow a specific protocol the night before your prp treatment?
No
Do you remember how much blood was drawn from you? After they drew the blood, how long did you have to wait before the platelet rich plasma was ready for use on your injury?
I’m guessing here, but I think around 10-20ML. Injection was immediate, as my doctor didn’t spin the blood around. Doing it this way allows him to bill it as a regular injection and it’s covered by insurance. He’s a sports medicine guy with great credentials. He’s working on changing the billing codes so he can do the full PRP.
What did the physician do to prepare the injury site for injection?
He did an ultrasound first. He then asked me exactly where it hurt and marked those areas with a marker. He then sterilized everything, injected some pain medicine, etc.
Did the physician use ultrasound as a guide to place the platelet rich plasma?
Yes
How did the injection feel? Explain. And do you remember how long the prp treatment took? If you had pain, how long did the pain last? Any swelling?
The injection was slightly painful and there was a big pressure sensation. It felt like my achilles was expanding and expanding. My achilles was pretty sore during the first 24 hours (I had to limp around) and moderately sore for a few days after that. After 4-5 days I could walk normally and it was only slightly sore. After 10 days, I can still feel it a bit. No swelling, but I iced it quite often the first 3 days.
How long did the entire visit take?
1 hour
After treatment, did your physician wrap the treatment site? If not, what did he do post treatment?
I had two injection spots, so there were two bandaids.
What was your physicians post prp treatment protocol for you? Restrictions? Rest? Exercise? Stretching? Pain medication? Any specific directions you had to follow?
No more than 10 minutes walking for the first few days and only 30 minutes walking from 5 to 14 days. Frequent ice application during the first few days. At 10 days out, I began the eccentric calf exercises. No pain meds, although tramadol (?) was prescribed.
How much was the prp treatment?
Not sure. It was covered by my insurance
Did the treatment work for you? If so, when did you start feeling better? How soon could you bet back to playing your sport?
I’m not sure yet. I’m cautiously optimistic, but it doesn’t really feel any better. The areas that hurt still hurt, but I’m guessing that it will be another month before I know for sure. I’ll email again in a month or so. I plan on having another injection (if it doesn’t work, or partially works) in 6-8 weeks. I’ll probably do 3 injections total before giving up and moving on to something else. I’m a triathlete (with a running background) and I’ve had trouble with my achilles for 14 years.
