Platelet Rich Plasma Is Promising for Knee Osteoarthritis

The first U.S. study to call out Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) as a viable treatment option for managing knee osteoarthritis, appeared in the December 2010 issue of the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. There were 14 study participants with primary and secondary knee osteoarthritis. They received platelet rich plasma injections in the affected knee every 4 weeks and had a 1 year follow-up.

The study showed that there was significant improvement in pain and function -- and most of the patients offered a positive report after 1 year of using platelet rich plasma. Once used primarily for famous athletes, PRP is making its way into the mainstream. These results suggest the need for a larger clinical trial.

Related Resources:

• Platelet Rich Plasma Injections from Our Orthopedics Guide
• More Osteoarthritis Research
• Researchers Reveal Info About Cartilage Structure

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