PRP for Sports Injuries - Tennis Elbow, Tendon Injuries, and Recovery
The injury that was supposed to heal in weeks is still bothering you months later. Rest did not fix it. Physio helped but plateaued. Steroid injections gave temporary relief then wore off.
Chronic tendon injuries are frustrating because tendons heal slowly. But there is a treatment that works with your body to accelerate that healing.
Why Tendon Injuries Linger
Tendons have poor blood supply compared to muscles. This means fewer healing resources reach damaged tissue. What should be a straightforward repair becomes a prolonged battle.
Conditions like tennis elbow, Achilles tendinopathy, and rotator cuff injuries often become chronic. Pain persists. Function remains limited. Traditional treatments provide temporary relief but do not address the underlying healing deficit.
PRP changes the equation by flooding the injury site with concentrated healing factors.
Dealing with a stubborn sports injury? Message us on WhatsApp
How PRP Helps Sports Injuries
Platelets are your body's first responders to injury. They contain growth factors that initiate and coordinate healing. In chronic injuries, this initial healing response has stalled.
PRP delivers a concentrated dose of platelets directly to the injured tissue. Growth factors restart the healing cascade, stimulate new tissue formation, and improve blood supply to the area.
Research shows PRP accelerates healing in tendon injuries, ligament sprains, muscle strains, and chronic overuse conditions. Many professional athletes use PRP to speed recovery and return to sport faster.
Conditions We Treat With PRP
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
This painful condition affects the outer elbow where forearm muscles attach. It is common in racquet sports, manual workers, and desk workers who use a mouse extensively.
PRP has strong evidence for tennis elbow, often outperforming steroid injections which can actually weaken tendons with repeated use.
Golfer's Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)
Similar to tennis elbow but affecting the inner elbow. PRP stimulates healing in the damaged tendon attachment.
Achilles Tendinopathy
Chronic Achilles pain that limits walking and running responds well to PRP. Treatment can help avoid the need for surgery.
Plantar Fasciitis
Heel pain from plantar fascia damage often becomes chronic. PRP injections to the fascia promote healing when conservative treatment has failed.
Rotator Cuff Injuries
Partial tears and tendinopathy in the shoulder benefit from PRP. It can help avoid surgery or improve healing after surgical repair.
Knee Ligament Injuries
PRP can support healing of ligament sprains and may enhance recovery after surgical reconstruction.
Ready to accelerate your recovery? WhatsApp us now
What Treatment Involves
Your appointment begins with assessment of your injury. We review your history, examine the affected area, and consider any imaging you have.
Blood is drawn from your arm and processed to concentrate the platelets. The PRP is then injected precisely into the injured tissue, often using ultrasound guidance for accuracy.
You can go home immediately. Some increased soreness in the first few days is normal as the healing response activates. We recommend relative rest for the first week, then gradual return to activity guided by symptoms.
Most patients require one to three injections depending on injury severity and response. Follow-up physiotherapy optimises outcomes.
Comparing PRP to Other Treatments
Steroid injections reduce inflammation quickly but do not promote healing. They can weaken tendons with repeated use and are increasingly viewed as a short-term solution only.
Physiotherapy is essential but sometimes plateaus because the underlying tissue damage has not healed.
Surgery is invasive, requires significant recovery time, and carries risks. Many surgeries can be avoided with regenerative treatment.
PRP addresses the root cause by promoting actual tissue repair. It works with your body rather than suppressing symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long before I can return to sport? This varies by injury and individual. Typically, light activity resumes after one to two weeks, with full return to sport over six to twelve weeks.
Is PRP injection painful? The injection causes brief discomfort. Anaesthetic can be used if needed. Post-procedure soreness is common but manageable.
Does insurance cover PRP for sports injuries? Most UK insurance does not currently cover PRP. We offer competitive self-pay pricing.
What if PRP does not work? Not all injuries respond, though most improve. If PRP is not effective, we can discuss other options including specialist referral.
Give your body the resources it needs to heal properly.
