How Can I Tell If I Have a Fracture?
Anyone can break a bone. Fractures range from minor cracks barely visible on an X-ray to complete breaks with noticeable abnormalities that affect limb function. Check out these common signs of a fracture.
Rotator Cuff Repair: Can PRP Therapy Help Accelerate Post-Surgical Healing?
Most rotator cuff injuries develop over time and are related to normal wear-and-tear or overuse during sports, hobbies, or work activities. Sometimes, an acute injury sustained in sports, a car accident, or other trauma can damage the rotator cuff.
Regardless of the cause, rotator cuff injuries can cause debilitating pain, decreased function, and weakness. When conservative treatments fail, surgery can restore function and eliminate pain.
But the healing and rehab process is often lengthy and challenging, lasting from several months to a year, depending on the severity of the injury.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is an innovative treatment that works alongside your body’s natural regenerative process to reduce pain caused by inflammation while accelerating healing.
Award-winning orthopedic surgeon Dr. Sumit Dewanjee, founder and director of FXRX in Tempe and Phoenix, Arizona, is known for his skill in treating rotator cuff injuries.
He favors PRP therapy for injuries like tendon tears due to its potential for accelerating healing and improving outcomes after surgeries like rotator cuff repair.
Check the facts regarding PRP from our FXRX team and how it works.
Understanding PRP therapy
PRP therapy involves drawing a patient’s blood, processing it to concentrate platelets, and injecting the resulting plasma into the affected area.
Platelets are rich in growth factors and proteins that play a key role in tissue repair, reducing inflammation, and promoting regeneration. PRP is widely used in orthopedics and sports medicine to stimulate healing.
That said, PRP won’t heal torn or stretched tendons or ligaments. Instead, the goal of PRP therapy is to enhance the body’s natural repair system as you recover from surgery and undergo rehab.
The challenges of rotator cuff healing
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that holds the shoulder joint in place. Rotator cuff repair surgery involves reattaching torn tendons to the upper arm bone (humerus).
A successful outcome depends on your surgeon’s expertise, the post-surgical rehab experience, and your body’s ability to heal soft tissues and regenerate connective fibers.
Certain factors can impede healing, including:
- Naturally poor blood supply to the rotator cuff tendons (an anatomic feature)
- Your age and overall health
- The severity of the tear
- Post-surgical stress on the shoulder
These challenges often lead to prolonged recovery periods and, in some cases, incomplete healing.
How PRP helps accelerate rotator cuff repair recovery
PRP therapy can address some of the barriers to rotator cuff healing by enhancing the body’s natural repair mechanisms.
Clinical results suggest that PRP injections can:
Stimulate tendon healing
Growth factors in PRP can encourage collagen production and tendon regeneration.
Reduce post-surgical inflammation
PRP’s anti-inflammatory properties may help minimize pain and swelling.
Improve tissue integration
By promoting cell proliferation, PRP can enhance the strength of the repaired tendon-bone interface.
What the research says
Although study results are mixed regarding PRP’s efficacy for rotator cuff repair, research indicates improved tendon healing and reduced pain. One survey noted that PRP therapy “demonstrated superior anatomic healing,” decreased pain, and increased patient satisfaction.
What the surgeon says
Dr. Dewanjee develops customized treatment strategies based on the severity of the injury, your overall health, and your activity level. For instance, college or professional athletes may require a more aggressive treatment approach to return to their sport as quickly as possible.
But because PRP therapy is safe with few (if any) adverse side effects and delivered via injection, it can provide a reliable assist in supporting rotator cuff repair and recovery for athletes and nonathletes.
If you’re experiencing shoulder pain or considering rotator cuff surgery, schedule a visit with Dr. Dewanjee at FXRX. Take the first step today by calling our office or requesting an appointment online.
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