Positive News for Athletes

Many athletes have experienced chronic pain such as tennis elbow and tendonitis. Some careers have been cut short because of unmanageable injuries.

Well, there’s a new therapy that’s been unleashed that’s strikingly simple and effective - injecting the blood of the injured athlete into the injury itself. It’s called platelet-rich plasma therapy and is changing the lives of many who’s livelihood relies on their bodies working optimally.

Injecting the athlete’s blood into a particular location catalyzes the body’s ability to repair muscle, bone and other tissue. Doctors say that this technique appears to help regenerate ligament and tendon fibers, which could shorten rehabilitation time and possibly rid the patient of the need for surgery.

“It’s a better option for problems that don’t have a great solution — it’s nonsurgical and uses the body’s own cells to help it heal,” said Dr. Allan Mishra, an assistant professor of orthopedics at Stanford University Medical Center and one of the primary researchers in the field. “I think it’s fair to say that platelet-rich plasma has the potential to revolutionize not just sports medicine but all of orthopedics. It needs a lot more study, but we are obligated to pursue this.”

As we become increasingly reliant on drugs and expensive treatments, its rewarding to know that some therapies rely on the power of our own bodies.

Source: New York Times