You've chosen to undergo a Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injection. Congratulations on taking this step to utilize your body's natural healing abilities to tackle your orthopedic issue! As outlined in our Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine Consumer's Guide, the ROC team is going to everything we can to optimize your outcome. But, what you do before and after the procedure also plays an important role in the success of your procedure. This blog provides pre- and post- procedure information and instructions to maximize the likelihood you achieve the results you are looking for.
Celebrex, etc... You CAN take acetaminophen (Tylenol) if needed.
Supplements can interfere with the effectiveness of PRP. Here is the list of supplements you should discontinue one week prior to your PRP: Fish oil, Flax oil, Turmeric, Curcumin, Vitamin E and Vitamin A.
NOTE: If you are having a PRP procedure that includes an intra-osseous (into the bone) injection, we will coordinate ahead of time to send a prescription pain medication to the pharmacy for you to take one hour prior to your procedure.
Avoid high fat content meals (e.g. fried or greasy foods) for 12 hours prior to procedure and avoid large meal 4 hours prior to procedure as fat in your bloodstream becomes remains suspended in the plasma which becomes part of the PRP.
Alcohol has been shown to inhibit platelet activity so should be avoided for the week before your procedure. Similarly tobacco use inhibits the body's healing response and should be discontinued in general, but at least 1 week.
Post-procedure pain may interfere with your ability to drive.
Most people will experience discomfort and swelling for the first 2 days (up to 1-2 weeks) following the procedure. This is normal and part of the healing cascade created by the platelet injection. If your PRP included an intra-osseous (into the bone) injection, you may have notable pain for the first couple days that requires prescription pain medication.
Celebrex, etc.).
If your procedure was in the foot / ankle region, we generally recommend utilizing a walking boot for the first few days, up to 1-2 weeks depending on how you feel.
For procedures performed for arthritis, we recommend limited activities of daily living for the first couple of weeks. Then, gradual increase in activity as tolerated is appropriate.
If your procedure was performed to a muscle, tendon or UCL, your post-procedure course will include participation in rehabilitation exercises with a gradual progression back to full athletic activity over a 3 month time frame for optimal results. Specific activity / rehabilitation program will be discussed but generally includes an initial 6 week basic strengthening load followed by a 6 week return to sport specific activity progression.
As previously noted, unlike a steroid injection, most people will feel worse for at least the first couple of days following a PRP injection.
While some people will notice improved symptoms within a couple of days of their PRP, most will take a couple of week to start noticing improvement and will only appreciate approximately 80% of their improvement 6 weeks following the procedure. Maximum benefit is generally noted 3-6 months from procedure date. It is common for individuals who chose to have a combination of shockwave and PRP to not only notice overall better results that PRP alone, they also tend to notice benefit earlier. While not everyone responds to PRP, for those who do, the duration of benefit can be permanent for tendon / ligament conditions and generally 12-18+ months for arthritis.
Still in the phase of research and discovery, wondering if regenerative orthopedic medicine procedures like PRP are right for you? Contact us now to see how the ROC team can help you achieve your goals!