PRP As a Cure for Achilles Tendonitis (Achilles Heel Pain)?

The term PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. Blood is drawn from a person's arm and then placed in a special centrifuge that spins it to separate the plasma that is rich in platelets. These platelets contain factors that help promote faster healing.

The Achilles tendon is then prepared for the platelet rich plasma to be injected. The area is given local anesthetic and then the tenotomy" is performed. The doctor taking care of the treatment takes a needle and pokes at the tendon making small holes and irritating it. This helps to stimulate inflammation which triggers your body's own healing response. Then the PRP is injected into the area.

Following the procedure rest is advised for 2-3 days with gradual return to normal activity. Often physical therapy is ordered as well to help with proper stretching and strengthening exercises.

Who is a good candidate for PRP treatment?

You have been diagnosed with chronic Achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis. You have not reacted to measures such as rest, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy or cortisone shots. You are more or less desperate and want to try one more thing before taking the decision to go for surgery. This is the ideal candidate for PRP treatment.

PRP treatments have shown good results for tennis elbow, rotator cuff tendonitis, hip bursitis, plantar fasciitis, patellar tendonitis, Achilles tendonitis, hip tendonitis, wrist tendonitis, shoulder tendonitis and knee tendonitis.

You should not have a history of allergy to local anesthetics and you need to be otherwise healthy. What I have done in this article is to describe the process around PRP as a cure for Achilles tendonitis (Achilles heel pain). I have not tested the method myself and I can only refer to other researches on the market.

You will have to decide on your own if this is something for your Achilles heel pain. My treatment advice for Achilles heel pain is as always eccentric calf stretching exercises. If you stick to the advices given for eccentric exercises I think you are much better of with this method and it is also a much cheaper treatment method.