What does this health guide mean for you?

Where does the health information come from?

The health facts come from human studies and medical guidance listed with the information. Those studies don't all cover the same joint, blood mixture, or follow-up time. Before relying on a result, check whether the people had the same sore body part, similar joint wear, and earlier care like yours.

The local details identify the Chandler clinic and the drive from Queen Creek. They can't predict traffic or tell whether driving after a procedure is safe for you. Confirm the appointment, directions, and same-day driving advice with the clinic.

Who runs the site, and what are its limits?

The owners responsible for QC Kinetix clinics across the Phoenix area also run this site. The business benefits when a reader follows a booking link, including the link to the Chandler location recommended here. Keep that business interest in mind while reading the health information.

A QC Kinetix consultation may cover regenerative treatments, meaning non-surgical PRP made on site after drawing your blood. This information doesn't replace personal medical advice or urgent care. Let an exam decide which care fits your health and sore joint.

Sources

1. A randomized controlled trial of acute hamstring injury found patients treated with a single autologous PRP injection plus a rehabilitation programme returned to play significantly earlier than those doing rehabilitation alone (26.7 +/- 7.0 days versus 42.5 +/- 20.6 days; P=.02), with lower pain severity scores throughout.

   A Hamid MS, Mohamed Ali MR, Yusof A, et al. — Platelet-rich plasma injections for the treatment of hamstring injuries: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014. DOI: 10.1177/0363546514541540.

2. A systematic review and meta-analysis with best-worst case analysis found statistically NON-significant evidence that PRP with or without physical therapy reduced mean time to return to play or reinjury rates for hamstring injuries compared with no treatment or physical therapy alone, in short-term follow-up. Complication rates (postinjection discomfort, pain or sciatic nerve irritation) averaged 5.2% +/- 2.9%. The pooled picture does not support the single positive trial.

   Seow D, Shimozono Y, Tengku Yusof TNB, et al. — Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection for the Treatment of Hamstring Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis With Best-Worst Case Analysis. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2021. DOI: 10.1177/0363546520916729.

3. A 12-centre randomized controlled trial of 230 patients with chronic lateral epicondylar tendinopathy compared tendon needling with leukocyte-enriched PRP against tendon needling alone. At 12 weeks there was no significant difference (55.1% versus 47.4% pain improvement; P=.163). At 24 weeks the PRP group reported 71.5% versus 56.1% pain improvement (P=.019), a 83.9% versus 68.3% success rate (P=.037), and significantly less residual elbow tenderness (29.1% versus 54.0%; P=.009). No significant complications occurred in either group.

   Mishra AK, Skrepnik NV, Edwards SG, et al. — Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma for chronic tennis elbow: a double-blind, prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial of 230 patients. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014. DOI: 10.1177/0363546513494359.

4. A randomized double-blind trial of 80 patients with chronic gluteal tendinopathy (lateral hip pain) compared a single ultrasound-guided PRP injection with a single corticosteroid injection. At 12 weeks the PRP group had significantly better modified Harris Hip Scores (P=.048), and 82% versus 56.7% of patients reached the minimal clinically important difference (P=.016).

   Fitzpatrick J, Bulsara MK, O'Donnell J, et al. — The Effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections in Gluteal Tendinopathy: A Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Trial Comparing a Single Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection With a Single Corticosteroid Injection. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018. DOI: 10.1177/0363546517745525.

5. In the RESTORE trial - the largest placebo-controlled PRP trial in knee osteoarthritis - 288 adults aged 50+ with symptomatic Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2-3 medial knee OA received three weekly intra-articular injections of leukocyte-poor PRP from a commercial system or saline placebo. At 12 months the mean change in knee pain was -2.1 points with PRP versus -1.8 with saline (difference -0.4; 95% CI -0.9 to 0.2; P=.17) against a minimum clinically important difference of 1.8, and the change in medial tibial cartilage volume was -1.4% versus -1.2% (difference -0.2%; 95% CI -1.9% to 1.5%; P=.81). Twenty-nine of 31 prespecified secondary outcomes showed no significant between-group difference. The authors concluded the findings do not support use of PRP for knee OA.

   Bennell KL, Paterson KL, Metcalf BR, et al. — Effect of Intra-articular Platelet-Rich Plasma vs Placebo Injection on Pain and Medial Tibial Cartilage Volume in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: The RESTORE Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 2021. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2021.19415.

6. The devices used to spin PRP at the point of care are cleared by FDA as clinical centrifuges, product code JQC, a Class I device under 21 CFR 862.2050 - for example the Biomet GPS Platelet Separation Kit (K030555, cleared 2003) and the Harvest SmartPrep2 / SmartPrep Platelet Concentration System (K103340, cleared 2010). That clearance covers the equipment that separates blood. It is not an FDA approval of platelet-rich plasma as a treatment for osteoarthritis, tendinopathy or any other orthopedic condition, and copy must never blur the two.

   U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Center for Devices and Radiological Health) — 510(k) Premarket Notification database and Product Classification: JQC, Centrifuges (Micro, Ultra, Refrigerated) For Clinical Use, 21 CFR 862.2050. FDA accessdata (CDRH device databases), 2003.