Summary: PRP has long been used to treat musculoskeletal conditions. It is known to help wounds heal and tissue regrow. But it is time to see that it may also play a role in other conditions. It may help counter the breakdown state the body falls into after surgery.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have long been used to treat sports injuries. PRP has also been widely tested for many muscle, bone and joint problems. That includes tests for easing pain and stiffness in joint disorders. But there is more to PRP. It may boost anabolic (building-up) processes. Sadly, the role of PRP in better results after surgery is still poorly studied.
PRP is proven to help with sports injuries and speed recovery. Its local injection (a shot into the injured spot) may help tissue regrow and help with tendon and ligament injuries. It may also help with osteoarthritis and more. Chronic pain specialists have started using PRP as a treatment for pain in joint and soft tissue injuries.
In this article, we look at how PRP may fight stress, boost building-up processes, help wounds heal, and help patients recover faster after surgery.
PRP has two parts: plasma and platelets. Platelets help blood clot, but they also help healing. Still, perhaps most of PRP’s benefits come from plasma. Plasma is packed with many active compounds. Science still does not fully know what is in plasma. But we do know plasma is rich in proteins, growth factors, signal molecules, and much more.
These growth factors and signal molecules can help people under stress or recovering from surgery or long illness.
PRP is safe since it is made from a person’s own blood. We draw a small amount of blood. Then we spin it in a centrifuge to remove the red blood cells. What is left is PRP. When PRP is injected into the problem area, it triggers healing.
One of the most common uses of PRP is to promote muscle healing. It may help tissue regrow where it is injected. PRP is especially good for recovery after many kinds of injuries, and it helps cut local swelling.
Now science has started looking at PRP beyond local tissue repair. Studies show that PRP is rich in many growth factors that can even modulate gene expression. That cuts the body’s breakdown (catabolic) processes and boosts its building-up (anabolic) processes.
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PRP may even help reduce oxidative stress, the cell damage caused by unstable oxygen molecules. It may also help prevent side effects from certain medicines. For example, one study shows that PRP may help prevent muscle wasting or weakness due to glucocorticosteroids use. PRP raises muscle protein, counters oxidative stress, and turns up certain genes involved in muscle growth.
In recent years, interest has grown in PRP’s whole-body (systemic) effects. But this topic is less studied. It is known that local injection of PRP helps tissue regrow. But would systemic injection of PRP, given to the whole body, also help?
Some studies show that whole-body use of PRP may also help. It may reduce pain scores and shorten post-operative recovery. In some studies, those who got PRP went back to daily activities much faster and reported better quality of life. This means PRP may be used to overcome the stress of surgery. It may counter the breakdown (catabolism) that happens right after surgery. It may also help boost building-up processes.
It means safe therapies like PRP can be used to speed recovery. They may add even more benefit when paired with other steps, like carb loading before surgery and eating more protein and amino acids.
To sum up, there are many safe ways to boost recovery after surgery, improve results, and lower the risk of death. Many of these methods are proven to work, yet they are still largely underused. They can be most useful for older adults, who need much longer to recover from surgery or other stress.
Frequently asked questions
Does PRP help you recover after surgery?
Studies show that PRP may reduce pain scores and shorten recovery after an operation. In some studies, people who got PRP went back to daily activities much faster and reported a better quality of life. PRP may also counter the breakdown (catabolism) that happens right after surgery. It may also boost the body’s building-up (anabolic) processes.
How is PRP made?
PRP is made from your own blood. A small amount of blood is drawn and spun in a centrifuge to remove the red blood cells. What is left is platelet-rich plasma. It has platelets, which help blood clot and help healing. It also has plasma, which is rich in proteins, growth factors and signal molecules.
Is PRP safe?
PRP is safe because it is made from your own blood. It has long been used for sports injuries, tendon and ligament injuries and joint problems such as osteoarthritis. Because it is safe, it can be paired with other recovery steps, such as carb loading before surgery and eating more protein and amino acids.
Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
